---
title: "Advocacy group accuses transit union of paying TTC workers to canvass for Chow"
description: "Canadian Women Against Antisemitism filed a complaint saying ATU Local 113 used a lost-time system to pay TTC employees to campaign for Olivia Chow. The union says its actions are compliant. Chow's campaign did not respond."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/on/toronto-2026/news/ttc-union-accused-paying-workers-chow-campaign-october-8"
last_updated: "2026-10-10T04:10:28.981Z"
---

Canadian Women Against Antisemitism alleged in a complaint reported by the Toronto Sun on October 8 that ATU Local 113, the transit workers union that endorsed [Olivia Chow](/on/toronto-2026/candidates/olivia-chow) for mayor, used a union lost-time system to pay TTC employees to canvass for her campaign. The union said its actions are compliant. Chow's campaign did not respond to the Sun's requests for comment.

No regulatory finding has been made. The allegation is at the stage of a complaint to a newspaper and a public statement by a competing campaign.

**What the complaint alleges**

Under a lost-time arrangement, a union member takes paid time away from their regular shift for union business, with the union covering the cost. CWAA brought the allegation to the Toronto Sun based on a whistleblower complaint from a TTC employee and what it described as an unaudited ATU financial statement for the first half of 2026. That statement, according to the Toronto Sun, shows $49,248 listed as political action lost time and $21,387 earmarked for elections. These are CWAA's figures from an unaudited document, and ATU has not confirmed them.

CWAA also alleged that some workers signed up for double shifts so that replacement pay would cover their absence while they campaigned.

**The responses**

ATU Local 113 told the Sun its actions "are compliant" and gave no further comment.

TTC spokesperson Stuart Green said the transit agency does not pay employees for political activity and that workers may be eligible for unpaid leave for union business.

The Brad Bradford mayoral campaign amplified the allegation. Campaign representative Laryssa Waler told the Sun: "Unions are entitled to support candidates. That's not the issue. The issue is that this is a city agency, the mayor oversees it and transit operators were seemingly taken off a system that already can't keep buses on schedule so they could campaign for the person who runs it."

Chow's campaign did not respond to the Sun before publication, the newspaper reported.

**What voters can do**

The allegation is unresolved ahead of the October 26 vote. Advance voting in Toronto runs from October 6 to October 11 at City-run locations. See the candidates running for mayor at [/on/toronto-2026/candidates#mayor](/on/toronto-2026/candidates#mayor) and find your voting location at toronto.ca/elections.

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