Toronto: Commuter confidence in ageing subway system dented after citywide shutdown

Subway service has resumed in Canada's financial capital, Toronto, after "major communication issues" shut down the city's entire system during rush hour on Monday.

At 6.41am EST on 8 June, radio issues along the city's three subway lines forced trains to a halt.

Stations were evacuated as early as 7am, forcing many of the 900,000 passengers who ride the rails every day to find alternate ways to commute.

Rush hour. All Toronto subway lines shut down. No shuttle bus replacements. Wonder how many people are downloading the Uber app right now.

— Matthew Coutts (@MRCoutts) June 8, 2015

Some 158 buses and streetcars make 245 connections with Toronto's Subway and Scarborough rail system during the morning rush each day.

Toronto Transit Commission chief executive Andy Byford told Toronto's mayor John Tory he has "a thorough investigation underway".

Byford took to a Toronto radio station to say that the transit company will issue an explanation for the shutdown later in the day.

Hoping the imminent #ttc apology video begins with Andy Byford saying "Woops!"

— Darius (@ChemistryTA) June 8, 2015

Last weekend, service was shut down on the city's main Line 1 as crews worked to upgrade the 60-year-old signal system. The TTC's website said the "necessary signal work will result in a more reliable service".

Many commuters voiced their ongoing frustration with the quality of the city's subway line during the shutdown.

This morning entire subway system in #toronto shutdown #TTC problems. Perhaps this is the wake up call to finally fix city's transit issues

— Kalofagas Greek Food (@kalofagas) June 8, 2015

#Toronto subway entirely shut down in rush hour and no shuttle buses. Not to sound cliche #TTC but what kind of monkey operation is this??

— Basel Daoud (@swimforestswim) June 8, 2015

You know, it really is the most "Toronto" thing ever that our entire subway system went down. On a Monday. In a rainstorm. At rush hour.

— Laura Walsh (@thelatterlaura) June 8, 2015

In the past the city has turned to the UK for advice on how to improve its subway infrastructure.

In a scoping report by UK Trade and Investment released in late 2013, the UK government targeted Canadian rail as a market potentially worth billions of pounds to the industry under the new EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement.