Canadian transit association says more police, security needed on city buses, trains

The Canadian Urban Transit Association says cities need to hire more security officers for public transit systems and give them more power to curb dangerous behaviour on trains and buses.

The association is making multiple recommendations Monday to improve rider and staff safety on public transit in the wake of a recent string of high-profile attacks on transit users and workers across the country.

Association President Marco D’Angelo says we need stiffer penalties for assaults on transit systems as well as more on-the-ground peace officers, special constables, and police officers.

“The increasing incidents of violence and harassment on public transit are alarming,” he said Monday.

“The time to put a stop to these violent offences is now and our goal is to make sure that transit is safe for all. So, today, we challenge governments to take immediate action to ensure the safety and security for our workers, as well as transit riders.”

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Related articles: 

• Concerns raised about safety on Metro Vancouver transit after multiple stabbings

• What’s to blame for the senseless killing of a 16-year-old at a subway station?

• ‘He didn’t deserve this at all’: Surrey stabbing victim’s mom pushes for change

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He says the federal government should also amend the Criminal Code to include specific offences against all transit workers, not just transit operators.

The recommendations emphasize that public transit systems reflect the communities they serve and that issues such as homelessness, substance use, and mental health impact transit systems when left unaddressed.

Multiple reports of stabbings have come over the last few months on transit systems including one that resulted in the death of a 16-year-old boy in Toronto last month.

Earlier this month, a 17-year-old boy was stabbed and killed in Surrey while he was on board a bus. The Metro Vancouver region has also seen several other incidents in recent weeks on its transit systems.

Meanwhile, in Edmonton, a Ukrainian newcomer was sent to the hospital after he was randomly stabbed in the back while at a bus stop.