The clock is counting down yet again to a possible work stoppage for hundreds of Toronto Transit Commission employees.
The TTC and CUPE Local 2 agreed to extend talks beyond the previous midnight deadline to 6 p.m. Saturday, giving the parties an extra 18 hours to reach a new deal for about 700 electrical workers.
The extended negotiations come as the city is ramping up preparations to host several games in the upcoming FIFA World Cup and testing its transportation capacity as hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected to pour in for the international tournament.
Talks between CUPE Local 2 and the TTC stalled about a month after the union said bargaining began.
The transit agency requested and received a no-board report from the Ministry of Labour late last month, setting up a 17-day countdown for legal job action.
At the time, TTC CEO Mandeep Lali said the no-board report aimed to create the “structural foundation to reach an agreement before the (World Cup) tournament kicks off in Toronto on June 12.”
Earlier this week, Lali said the union’s latest proposal would cost an additional $40 million over the term of the agreement, and the TTC couldn’t accept a deal that would place an unfair burden on taxpayers and transit users.
Meanwhile, the union said competitive wages are critical for a “safe, reliable system” and the TTC’s offer did not reflect the value of the work carried out by its members.
CUPE Local 2 president Sumit Guleria previously said the TTC’s decision to request a no-board report so soon “raises serious questions about whether the focus is on bargaining or applying pressure to reach a deal ahead of the World Cup, at a time when our members are facing a cost-of-living crisis.”
A strike wouldn’t shut down the TTC, but it could impact subway service as workers who would usually fix signals, tracks, or power issues would be effectively off the job, resulting in increased delays and potential line closures.
The TTC says it has contingency plans in place, but has not provided details.
Premier Doug Ford weighed in on the negotiations at an unrelated press conference Tuesday, saying he hoped both parties would “come to their senses” to keep trains running during the World Cup.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 16, 2026.