By Adriel Smiley

The Toronto Transit Commission reigns supreme for Torontonians. Once outside the city Metrolinx takes over. Created in 2006, their operating divisions include GO Transit, PRESTO, and the Union Pearson Express. They faced an even larger drop in ridership than the TTC, according to Metrolinx spokesperson Anne Marie Aikans who told Global News in an email.

COVID-19 brought a huge drop in ridership but it came with a spike in expenses. Safety measures were put in place to keep riders safe and allow for physical distancing. Whether it's plexiglass between seats, sanitizer stations, and enhanced cleaning practices. 

Metrolinx is an agency of the Government of Ontario that works under the Ministry of Transportation. Pivoting during the pandemic has been a collaborative effort. Ontario's Minister of Transportation Caroline Mulroney spoke regularly to transit stakeholders on how to respond to the pandemic. 

“Those weekly meetings that we had were key to understanding what people were experiencing on the ground. And then that informed us in terms of what kind of policy responses we need to put in place,” Mulroney reflects. 

In this episode, CJRU looks at Metrolinx and how it has pivoted over the last year. This is the second story in a four-part Pandemic Pivot series on transportation.