Here's what Toronto's transit map could look like in the next century

A new fantasy transit map created by a University of Waterloo student imagines what the TTC's network could look like in the next few decades. 

The map, created by local mathematics student Cori, includes extensions and new lines outside of current TTC plans, which are based on Toronto population density figures, as well as frequent bus routes that are not serviced by rail. The map encompasses the City of Toronto, plus a growing number of stops outside city limits, including Clark, Royal Orchard, and Convair. 

New lines on the map include a Lawrence-Dixon LRT, St. Clair-Jane South LRT, as well as stops for neighbourhoods like Parkdale, Little Italy, Kensington Market, and The Junction.

Cori grew up in London, Ont., where they say transit is lacking and people mostly rely on cars to get from place to place. All that changed when they went on a Grade 10 trip to Taipei, Taiwan, where they "experienced the efficiency of a functional and reliable public transit system," which inspired them to start making transit maps for London and beyond. 

"I have a passion for graphic design, and started making diagrams and maps in high school. I was mostly motivated to make a map for Toronto based on my experience visiting the city, and seeing some of the shortcomings of the system (slow zones, lack of coverage), I wanted to try my own take at designing a map," Cori told blogTO. 

TTC Wishlist/Fantasy Map
byu/foxtail286 inTTC

The mathematics student created the map in Figma and used maps of population density and employment statistics to pin down where people work, and tried to cover most of the areas with higher density as a priority, which is why you'll see quite a few lines running through and near downtown. 

Cori shared the fantasy TTC map on Reddit earlier this month, with the post quickly amassing over 700 upvotes and nearly 140 comments. "If this was what the TTC map looked like, I would get rid of my car," one person wrote. 

While Cori says the response to the map has been mostly positive, some people have pointed out the lack of suburban coverage. 

"I've gotten a lot of comments that have suggested things such as a line on Steeles, extending Line 6 across to Yonge, better coverage in Scarborough, and extending Line 2/5 to Square One," they explained. 

"While I think these proposals could be interesting, I ultimately prioritized densifying the core rather than expanding coverage, which I think is better accomplished with GO lines rather than TTC lines at the moment." 

Overall, Cori says the TTC has significant potential that's not currently being fully realized. 

"Being from London, I know the frustrations of a transit system that refuses to evolve and build infrastructure — and in some cases gets worse," they noted. 

"In this regard, I think Toronto is already much better than my hometown; the existing lines already provide lots of coverage and serve as necessary routes for regular citizens. This potential is why it makes me fairly frustrated to see the current situation regarding Lines 5/6, and I hoped to envision a future where Toronto has a well-built transit system with many connections."