TTC workers no longer required to take random drug and alcohol tests
An Ontario Labour Relations Board arbitrator ruled the transit company's testing policies unjustifiable and unconstitutional, effective Monday.
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TTC employees will no longer have to submit to random drug and alcohol tests starting Monday, after an Ontario Labour Relations Board arbitrator ruled the transit company's testing policies unjustifiable, unreasonable, and unconstitutional.
The arbitrator found no scientific evidence that the testing enhanced safety and determined the tests were unreliable. For years, the TTC had required employees to provide mouth swabs or blow into a breathalyzer at any time.
Marvin Alfred, President of Local 113 of the Amalgamated Transit Union, called the decision a landmark victory for workers' rights to privacy. "Literally thousands of workers have been forced to undergo these unreasonable tests which were never fit for purpose," he said in a statement. "Hundreds of workers have lost their employment because they were forced to take tests that were inaccurate and unreliable."
Alfred added that public dollars wasted on the program could have funded "real and effective" safety measures instead.
The facts
When do TTC random drug and alcohol tests end?
The random testing requirement for TTC employees ends on Monday, July 21, 2026, following an Ontario Labour Relations Board arbitrator's ruling.
Why did the arbitrator rule against TTC's testing policy?
The arbitrator found no scientific evidence that the testing enhanced safety and determined the tests were unreliable.
How did TTC conduct the random drug and alcohol tests?
TTC employees were required to provide mouth swabs or blow into a breathalyzer at any time.
