Because nothing says "I'm sorry" like cash in hand, the TTC has just announced a fleet of refunds for all day passes, metropasses, weekly passes, GTA passes. As repentance for that whole surprise strike thing, owners of an adult metropass will get $7.50 back (or $7.00 for those with the Metropass Discount Plan); those with an adult weekly pass will pocket $9.50; and those with a day pass for April 25 will get $3.00 for......

General Motors cut 900 jobs in Oshawa yesterday, mostly related to the production of oversized trucks and sport-utility vehicles. A spokesperson for the CAW angrily called upon for the Canadian government to "discover more oil somewhere so these jobs can remain relevant." The United Nations formed a task force today to tackle the global food crisis. Oh, well, now that the United Nations is involved in the global food crisis, all our problems are......

The idea of a TTC riders' union is nothing particularly new, but after what happened this weekend, it's quickly—and deservedly—picking up steam. Torontoist's last article about a possible riders' union was written by Roxanne Bielskis in November 2007. Our article was inspired by Erica Barnett on WorldChanging, who described the problems of Seattle's transit system and looked at the success of riders' unions (or their equivalents) in Los Angeles, Vancouver, Santa Clara, Atlanta, and......

Sarah Lazarovic—curator of the garage-based Montrose Portrait Gallery of Canada—is painting a portrait of a Torontonian every day. Each Monday, we'll feature one of those portraits here. Suggestions for subjects welcome. If only our politicians could always work at this speed! Yesterday, Bill 66, the Toronto Public Transit Service Resumption Act, was passed in 31 minutes. Then the law was sprinted down to Lieutenant Governor David Onley for his royal assent. Though Onley was dropping......

Ding, ding, grumble, grumble…the TTC is back on track for the Monday morning commute, ushering in a new era of mutual respect, trust and fellowship between riders and employees. Anyway, it turns out that while Torontoist was trapped at home all weekend drinking and shaking an impotent fist at Bob Kinnear's smug televised face, there was non-TTC news going on out there too. U of T President David Naylor told The Globe And Mail......

It's 1:45 a.m. now. The TTC strike is done: twelve hours ago, TTC employees were legislated back to work by the provincial government; nine hours ago, TTC service started back up; not too far from now, employees' Monday morning shifts will start as usual, in time to transport the morning rush. But you wouldn't know that from the Star's Strike Watch blog, which the front page of the Star's website still links to, which......

Torontoist is following the TTC's strike, using our own reporting, other local news sources, and any other resources available to us to keep this article updated continually with the latest information. Use the TTC Strike tag to view Torontoist's other strike coverage, or view our list of online resources to see coverage, photos, videos, and ideas elsewhere. Russell (Connaught) Carhouse, Sunday, 12 p.m. Photo by somebody_ from the Torontoist Flickr Pool. Current Status: Strike Over......

Photo by ariehsinger from the Torontoist Flickr Pool. Strike days like this make us wonder how difficult it'd be to run our own transportation service in Toronto. Of course, you couldn't actually open your own transit company—the City of Toronto Act says the only people who can run public transit are the TTC—but there are currently hundreds of kilometres of vacant rail on the street and underground, just waiting to carry millions of people......

The TTC pulled a disappearing act this weekend, leaving many people to find alternative means of transportation. However, our provincial politicians have a trick or two up their sleeves as well, and are trying to make the TTC reappear. Let's hope they succeed—it will take some powerful magic to get anywhere on Monday if they don't. Illustration by Kevin McBride.......

Despite its excellent online coverage from 10:30 p.m. Friday and onwards, not all print editions of Saturday's National Post carried news of the TTC strike. All versions of its Toronto Magazine, however, included the presciently coincidental graphics shown above (Post illustrators' responses to the predictably utopian sentiments of the "My Toronto Is..." tourism ads proffered by OCAD advertising students for their annual let's-generate-PR-for-a-billboard-company contest). Graphics by Jonathon Rivait and Steve Murray, respectively.......

This post will contain a list of links (regularly updated and added to) that might be useful throughout the TTC strike. Follow Torontoist's continual strike coverage at our strike status post, or see the entirety of our coverage by using our TTC Strike tag. You can suggest a link by posting it in the comments or e-mailing tips@torontoist.com.......

At 6:45 a.m., Cy Goldsbie spotted a guy spraypainting this message on both of Spadina station's Spadina-immediately-north-of-bloor entrances and was kind enough to snap these pics for us. TTC labour issues and graffiti, together again at last.......

The TTC has issued this press release, containing "highlights" of the tentative agreement reached last Sunday—the agreement that the union voted 65% to reject, creating a TTC strike as of midnight Friday, April 26:......

No TTC strike! Now we can all rest easy, content that we will continue to have access to the same below-par underfunded service we all know and love. (More details here.) Elections Canada has accused the Tories of violating federal elections law. The Conservative Party apparently overspent by over one million dollars during the last election and intentionally filed misleading statements in its returns. The Conservative party responded by pointing out that a million......

UPDATE (Saturday April 26, 8:00 p.m.): Please see this post for Torontoist's updated strike coverage. This post was updated throughout the weekend with the current status of the TTC's operations, using our own reporting, the TTC's website, and local news sources as a guide. Current Status: Strike AvertedLast updated on April 20 at 7:52 p.m. Bob Kinnear has announced that the TTC and its union have reached a tentative deal, allowing the TTC to continue......

As it happened, this wasn't the only ATU ad in the subway car to which this message had been appended. Photo taken by Jonathan Goldsbie on the Yonge line.......

Latest transit update from the Torontoist Action News Team Live Info Centre, Your Only Source For All TTC Strike News: if you're a regular TTC rider, GO Transit doesn't want you. A spokesperson for GO has advised that that they're already operating at capacity with their regular passenger load, and don't plan to run any additional buses or trains in the event of a TTC strike. Speaking from Chongqing, China, Mayor David Miller said......

Taxi! Taxi! The posturing shifted into high gear today in the TTC labour dispute, as union president Bob Kinnear announced that if his people don't get satisfaction this weekend, 1.5 million Torontonians are going to be looking for another way to get around as of 4 a.m. on Monday. Kinnear came out swinging at a press conference this morning, telling assembled reporters that TTC employees were "second class citizens" compared to city workers and......

TTC strike: not today, but probably Monday. If it happens, Torontoist will let you know. If you were to get your ass kicked by a TTC Special Constable, would you prefer a gun, a taser, or the standard pepper spray? The TTC launches a $100,000 study to find out. The Toronto District School Board is set to make some controversial changes over the next few years. A report released yesterday threatens the closure of......

Mayor David Miller, anxious to prove the civic value of his trade mission to China, announced yesterday that a major Chinese mining company would be opening an office in Toronto. Well, not necessarily an office. It could be one of those shared rental suites. Or a mailbox, definitely a mailbox, at least. Say, how 'bout that Great Wall? Almost time to get out our walkin' shoes? The Globe and Mail says that TTC talks......

In a grudging acknowledgement that Canadians are still entitled to some measure of freedom of speech, the Ontario Human Rights Commission dismissed a complaint against Maclean's magazine for articles critical of Islamic fundamentalism, saying the Commission had no jurisdiction over print. However, the Commission—whose members are not required to have training in law, journalism, or, um, anything, really—did say that the articles caused "serious harm" to society with their "destructive, xenophobic opinions." That's nice.......

When the City of Toronto issued a press release last week detailing its TTC strike contingency plans, cyclists quickly noticed that alongside the proposals for parking restrictions and pleas for employers to allow workers to use staggered schedules, "cycling" and "bikes" were mentioned exactly zero times. Spacing Toronto's Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler reported yesterday: Mayor David Miller noted this, too, and said earlier today that during the last TTC strike he was concerned by the thousands......

Get your bathing suits out people—spring may finally be here, with the temperature expected to hit 9° today and a sub-tropical 15° tomorrow. (Disclaimer: the phrase "get your bathing suits out" is not intended to recommend or endorse the practice of swimming in Lake Ontario. Residents should always consult with their toxicologist before bathing at beaches in or around the GTA.) Minimum wage in Ontario is going up from $8.00 an hour to $8.75......

TTC workers may opt for a work-to-rule or slowdown campaign rather than an out-and-out strike—moves which could include actions such as refusing to collect fares, adhering to rules of the road, and not wearing uniforms. Union President Bob Kinnear's comments indicate that they'd prefer the less drastic action so as not to antagonize the public. Hmmmm, let's see...empty pier...tearful relatives waving goodbye from the wharf...yep, sorry, Bob, that ship has definitely sailed. Controversial city......

TTC union reps walked away from the bargaining table yesterday, meaning you could be walking to work as early as next Tuesday. Much like everyone else on the planet, the union is looking for more money and better benefits, but unlike everybody else on the planet, they can force the city into shutdown if they don't get it. As Clint Eastwood famously said in Unforgiven, "Deserves got nothin' to do with it." More snow......

Turns out that the union was actually ready to walkout again yesterday. Fortunately a few last minute desperate phone calls prevented what would've been a disastrous second wildcat strike in as many weeks. The TTC and the union are still in intense negotiations. Hopefully they can avoid any future job actions. Other than Bob Kinnear, most of the city's other major unions give Mayor Miller the thumbs up. The TSX was one of the......

Thankfully, yesterday's TTC strike fizzled out and the city's buses, subways and streetcars are now running again. Kevin McGran at the Star dissects yesterday's events and points to an automated phone message from union head Bob Kinnear as the spark that caused TTC employees to walk out. Also in the Star, drivers are facing the heat from pissed off passengers. Scarborough Hospital is being sued by a patient over dialysis machines that were contaminated with......