Smile...you are on TTC camera!

Did you know that the Toronto Transit Commission (“TTC”) buses, streetcars and subway trains have video recording on them?

 You may have known this, but I bet what you didn’t know is that these videos are only available for download for a very short period of time as they are set to loop and record over old video in just a matter of hours.

Bus and streetcar videos must be downloaded within 15 hours, and subway train videos must be downloaded within 72 hours.  If these videos are not downloaded within this amount of time, known as the ‘retention period’, it will no longer exist as the video system loops and records over the old video.

Under Section 28 (2) of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, and subsequent recommendations provided by the Privacy Commissioner, there are 3 occasions when these videos can be downloaded:

• 1. In aid of law enforcement;
• 2. Criminal Activity; and
• 3. Public Safety Necessity.

There is also a Video Recording Policy listed on the TTC’s website: 

https://www.ttc.ca/Riding_the_TTC/Safety_and_Security/Video_Recording_Policy/index.jsp

Under this policy there are limited circumstances in which the TTC will or can download the video, these include:

• 1. If law enforcement requests the video;
• 2. If there is a public safety reason for doing so, or;
• 3. If a person recorded by the video requests it.

This could be important if you are injured and may have a claim as this video could show what happened.  For example, what the circumstances were, how a driver was driving, and in the case of a slip and fall on TTC property, what the condition of the ground or floor was.

Once the video has been downloaded, it is then retained for a time period of one year.

It is also important to know that the bus, streetcar or subway driver cannot download the video.  It must be a supervisor, who has keys and access to the video DVR.

Therefore, if you are in an accident on TTC property, i.e. within the TTC subway system or on a TTC vehicle (be it a bus, streetcar, or subway train) and you think there has been negligence on the part of the TTC, or on someone else for that matter, this video may aid you in your case.  It is critical to request it immediately as it will not exist for long – only a matter of hours!

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