John Tory says work is being done to address Toronto traffic jams, delays

Mayor John Tory says he understands why motorists and residents are frustrated over a recent increase in Toronto traffic congestion, noting that work is actively being done to find a solution.

Tory and Toronto Police Services (TPS) announced the “Keep Toronto Moving” traffic campaign, which the Mayor says will focus on addressing traffic flow in the city.

The initiative kicked off on Thursday and will last for one week until June 30.

“Keep Toronto Moving” will see the resumption of routine parking enforcement, particularly for vehicles blocking designated rush-hour routes.

Tory says the campaign will also see officers delivering “focused enforcement” intended to improve traffic flow and address congestion factors “such as vehicles blocking intersections and compliance with traffic signals.”

The Mayor acknowledged how tedious the delays have been for drivers and cyclists but noted that ongoing efforts to address these roadway concerns “cost time and money.”

“I know that traffic and construction delays, especially when you’re caught in them, can be very frustrating for people,” Tory said on Friday.

“I have heard that frustration, which is why I began a dialogue with the police chief about what we can all do together… I know that they can be frustrating whether you’re walking or riding a bike, or in a car or transit vehicle — it also costs time and money beyond the other inconveniences and threats to safety that it poses.”

RELATED: Weekend need to know: Pride Festival and security, road closures

Many Toronto residents have voiced displeasure over post-pandemic traffic delays and ongoing road closures in recent weeks. It’s led to the future of ActiveTO being questioned, with those against the outdoor endeavour arguing that it’s not worth the traffic headaches on weekends.

Mayor John Tory participates in the Pride Toronto rainbow flag-raising ceremony and first-ever pride month declaration at Toronto City Hall in Toronto on Tuesday, May 31, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Eduardo Lima

Recent data released by the City of Toronto showed that closing major Toronto routes, including Lake Shore Boulevard West, has hurt city-wide travel times. Toronto Blue Jays President Mark Shapiro was one high-profile voice to speak out on the issue, saying the closures impede baseball fans’ ability to make their way to Rogers Centre.

Tory said the city and TPS would do whatever they could to make things better, noting that Toronto was listed in a recent top 10 list of the most liveable cities in the world.

The Mayor’s comments come ahead of what is expected to be a busy weekend in Toronto with pride events and the 2022 Pride Parade making a triumphant, in-person return. As a result, several road and TTC closures are in place throughout the city.

Just under 3,000 tickets issued on Toronto streets

TPS says that just under 3,000 tickets were handed out to drivers from June 13 to June 19, with a majority of them (1,175) as speeding infractions.

Officers say 753 were aggressive driving tickets, while 183 people were nabbed for distracted driving. Of the aforementioned speeding tickets, TPS says 27 of them constituted stunt driving.

There were 25 impaired driving-related arrests in that timeframe.

Police say that as of June 21, there have been 23 fatalities due to a motor vehicle collision, of which two have been motorcycle-related in the last two months.