Bloor Street Overhaul Plagued By Delays & Cost Overruns

A Bloor Street renovation project a year behind schedule and millions of dollars over budget will be on the agenda for the city’s public works committee this week.

The so-called Mink Mile – the stretch of Bloor Street between Church and Avenue Road – is getting a major facelift in the form of widened granite sidewalks, new street furniture, public art and trees and plants so Toronto’s swanky shopping district remains on par with other major cities.

A recent report claims the project, which started in 2007 and was supposed to be completed last year, has run $4.5 million over budget.

A local business group plans to cover the project’s $19.7 million original cost and the city is responsible for picking up any cost overruns.

A published report last week suggested Toronto Hydro is to blame for much of the problem, as it apparently underestimated the time and cost of work it would have to do on the chic stretch.

Coun. Kyle Rae said the plan has been plagued by so many issues that he’s compared it to the controversial St. Clair Avenue streetcar right-of-way project.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today