TORONTO - City council in Toronto has voted in favour of making the Toronto Transit Commission an essential service.

Councillors voted 28-17 to formally request that the provincial government designate public transit in Toronto an essential service.

Should the legislation be passed by the provincial government, labour strikes would no longer be legal for TTC workers.

The Amalgamated Transit Union, which represents about 10,000 TTC workers, has opposed the move.

Mayor Rob Ford says riders need to be able to rely on the TTC.

And Ford says transit strikes cost the Toronto economy nearly $50 million a day and commuters and businesses suffer.