Winter 2023

Heading into 2023 with Momentum!

The Toronto Transportation Club (TTC) began 2022 cautious but also optimistic about the year ahead as the world still dealt with intermittent lockdowns and restrictions on in-person events. But by February, we had ramped up to a full calendar of events, rounding out the year with our extraordinary 107th Annual Dinner.

Looking back to September, the TTC held its 10th annual Power of Education Fall Golf Tournament at the beautiful Lora Bay Golf Club. When it comes to weather at our golf tournaments, the TTC has had a streak of bad luck. In 2022, however, the golf gods must have been on our side! Golfers enjoyed a full day of sunshine and good times, which translated into a record-setting amount of funds raised through our Scholarship Raffle Hole and the helicopter ball drop.

Fast-forward to December, when the TTC returned to the Metro Convention Centre for its 107th Annual Dinner and Gala, the first since 2019! TTC members and their guests partook in an evening filled with opportunities to chat with old friends and coworkers as well as build new connections. The TTC also recognized our seven scholarship winners as well as industry leaders and volunteers, including our very own Denise Cardy! We ended the night with a roundtable discussion featuring several of Canada’s hockey greats; there was no shortage of stories to keep the crowd engaged.

The TTC will build upon the momentum of this event heading into the new year. I am excited to have the privilege of leading the Club into 2023. With the support and commitment of our board members, I will continue to focus on our mission of keeping our industry connected. We have invested an incredible amount of time ensuring that our members have increased exposure and abilities to network with others, growing partnerships and developing new ones along the way.

We continue to improve upon our social media platforms, developing new strategies to update members on upcoming events, enhance exposure for our sponsors, and increase membership engagement in real time at our gatherings. Our quarterly newsletters highlight the incredible stories and lessons our members experience. This is a great way for us to give our members a voice; please reach out to me or any board member if you would like your story to be shared!

Most importantly, I want to ensure that the TTC maintains the quality of our events – this is what we are all about! Through the dedication and hard work of our event chairs, event producer Maggie Patten and executive director Denise Cardy, the TTC will continue to present a full calendar of world-class events in 2023. It is through these activities that we are able to generate the funds necessary to support our Scholarship program, which in turn pays for the four scholarships that are awarded on an annual basis. Back in 2021, we enhanced this program to provide more offerings to corporate members and their employees, opening up the opportunity for five employees to submit scholarship applications. Last year, we received a record-setting 27 applications; please encourage your employees to engage in this opportunity and submit their applications!

During the winter months, the TTC will be hosting two outstanding events. Our Winter Getaway will take place January 27 at Craigleith Ski Club. Please come out and enjoy a day of fun skiing or snow shoeing, or a meal and some refreshments! Back by popular demand is our Connect Luncheon: Transportation Re-Imagined. On March 2, please join us at Hotel X to hear industry executives discuss hot topics in transportation today. Stay tuned for our star-studded lineup to be released later this month.

I want to thank our members for their continued support. Our membership renewals are well underway, and new sponsorship opportunities are always available. All of these funds go to supporting the scholarship trust and keeping the quality and quantity of our events held to the TTC standard!

Liam O’Briain
President, The Toronto Transportation Club