During the 2010 mayoral campaign, Ford promised to make the TTC an "essential service."
This would remove the TTC workers' right to strike and force collective bargaining disputes to be resolved through binding arbitration.
Toronto City Council approved the designation of the TTC in January 2011 and the Government of Ontario passed The Toronto Transit Commission Labour Disputes Resolution Act in March 2011.

Another of Ford's campaign pledges was to halt the Transit City transit plan.
Instead of the surface light rail transit (LRT) lines of Transit City, Ford proposed to build underground lines.
After being elected, Ford negotiated a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Ontario and the City of Toronto for the Metrolinx provincial transit agency to build the Crosstown LRT entirely underground.
Under the proposal, the City of Toronto would build an extension for the Sheppard subway line using its own funds, private funding agreements and any monies remaining from commitments from Ontario and the Government of Canada.
Metrolinx put a stop to the construction of the Sheppard East LRT, which was already started.

Ford set up an agency to study funding of the subway project, under the direction of former councillor Gordon Chong.
Chong proposed user fees, parking fees and/or road taxes, but these options were rejected by Ford.
In 2012, Toronto City Council held a special meeting to overturn the Ford-Ontario plan and voted to put a section of the Crosstown above-ground, and use the savings to build a LRT line along Finch Avenue West.
Council decided further to study whether to put a subway line between the Don Mills subway station and Scarborough Town Centre or put an LRT line along Sheppard as far east as Morningside Avenue.
The Council meeting, at the instigation of TTC chair Karen Stintz, led to a special TTC management committee meeting where TTC general manager Gary Webster was fired.
Webster, against the wishes of Ford, had recommended that Council build the light rails as proposed in the Transit City plan.
Council then held a special meeting to depose the TTC committee, replacing the board members who fired Webster.

The Sheppard panel returned in March 2012 with a recommendation to build the LRT option along Sheppard as originally proposed.
Ford opposed the LRT but Council voted to approve the project.
At the last minute, Ford's allies on council attempted to set up a parking lot fee to help fund the project, but Ford did not support the fee, and his allies could not sway the majority of council.
Ford stated after the vote that this would be an issue in the next municipal election and he would do what he could to prevent the LRT construction and start campaigning to overturn the decision.
In April, Metrolinx approved a plan of construction on the LRT transit projects, projecting a completion in 2020.

On existing TTC service, Ford voted for service cuts several times.
In January 2011 Ford voted for service cuts on 41 bus routes, out of 48 originally proposed, to save $2.6 million.
In January 2012, Council voted 23–21 to put $5 million into the TTC to prevent service reductions, a measure Ford opposed.
In January 2013, Ford voted against putting the TTC operating surplus of $22 million back into the TTC, taking the money back into City general funds.

In 2013, Metrolinx began a study of user fees and taxes to fund future public transit improvements in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area.
All area governments were asked for input for Metrolinx's final report to the Ontario government.
Ford announced his opposition to any new taxes or fees for funding transit: "people don’t want a tax increase ... I'm not going to implement tolls on the people of the city."
In early April, Metrolinx issued a short list of 11 funding sources, including the four options supported by the Toronto Board of Trade: sales tax, payroll tax, parking space levy, gas tax.
City of Toronto staff were commissioned to examine the short list and propose a list for City Council to recommend to Metrolinx.
The staff report, advocating the parking
During the 2010 mayoral campaign, Ford promised to make the TTC an "essential service." This would remove the TTC workers' right to strike and force collective bargaining disputes to be resolved through binding arbitration. Toronto City Council approved the designation of the TTC in January 2011 and the Government of Ontario passed The Toronto Transit Commission Labour Disputes Resolution Act in March 2011.
Another of Ford's campaign pledges was to halt the Transit City transit plan. Instead of the surface light rail transit (LRT) lines of Transit City, Ford proposed to build underground lines. After being elected, Ford negotiated a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Ontario and the City of Toronto for the Metrolinx provincial transit agency to build the Crosstown LRT entirely underground. Under the proposal, the City of Toronto would build an extension for the Sheppard subway line using its own funds, private funding agreements and any monies remaining from commitments from Ontario and the Government of Canada. Metrolinx put a stop to the construction of the Sheppard East LRT, which was already started.
Ford set up an agency to study funding of the subway project, under the direction of former councillor Gordon Chong. Chong proposed user fees, parking fees and/or road taxes, but these options were rejected by Ford. In 2012, Toronto City Council held a special meeting to overturn the Ford-Ontario plan and voted to put a section of the Crosstown above-ground, and use the savings to build a LRT line along Finch Avenue West. Council decided further to study whether to put a subway line between the Don Mills subway station and Scarborough Town Centre or put an LRT line along Sheppard as far east as Morningside Avenue. The Council meeting, at the instigation of TTC chair Karen Stintz, led to a special TTC management committee meeting where TTC general manager Gary Webster was fired. Webster, against the wishes of Ford, had recommended that Council build the light rails as proposed in the Transit City plan. Council then held a special meeting to depose the TTC committee, replacing the board members who fired Webster.
The Sheppard panel returned in March 2012 with a recommendation to build the LRT option along Sheppard as originally proposed. Ford opposed the LRT but Council voted to approve the project. At the last minute, Ford's allies on council attempted to set up a parking lot fee to help fund the project, but Ford did not support the fee, and his allies could not sway the majority of council. Ford stated after the vote that this would be an issue in the next municipal election and he would do what he could to prevent the LRT construction and start campaigning to overturn the decision. In April, Metrolinx approved a plan of construction on the LRT transit projects, projecting a completion in 2020.
On existing TTC service, Ford voted for service cuts several times. In January 2011 Ford voted for service cuts on 41 bus routes, out of 48 originally proposed, to save $2.6 million. In January 2012, Council voted 23–21 to put $5 million into the TTC to prevent service reductions, a measure Ford opposed. In January 2013, Ford voted against putting the TTC operating surplus of $22 million back into the TTC, taking the money back into City general funds.
In 2013, Metrolinx began a study of user fees and taxes to fund future public transit improvements in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area. All area governments were asked for input for Metrolinx's final report to the Ontario government. Ford announced his opposition to any new taxes or fees for funding transit: "people don’t want a tax increase ... I'm not going to implement tolls on the people of the city." In early April, Metrolinx issued a short list of 11 funding sources, including the four options supported by the Toronto Board of Trade: sales tax, payroll tax, parking space levy, gas tax. City of Toronto staff were commissioned to examine the short list and propose a list for City Council to recommend to Metrolinx. The staff report, advocating the parking
Mayoralty of Rob Ford