News   GLOBAL  |  Apr 02, 2020
 10K     0 
News   GLOBAL  |  Apr 01, 2020
 42K     0 
News   GLOBAL  |  Apr 01, 2020
 6K     0 

International sporting events are like the only thing that gets transit built or improved proactively in North America. Incredibly strange phenomenon, but I will take it.

In fact, I would support a Toronto Olympic bid entirely on the premise that it would stir improvements to transit.
The Montreal Metro played a crucial role in transporting spectators to and from the Olympic venues during the 1976 Summer Olympics.
See https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/montreal-metro
 
Yes, but often the transit that gets built for international events is stupid.

"We'll spend $1 billion to build an express monorail from Long Branch Station to the temporary badminton and fencing venue to be built at the redeveloped Cloverdale Mall site!"

We did get the UP Express, and not much else, out of the Pan Am games.
 

Saw this today and thought it perfectly exemplifies just how inefficient street parking is for both public and private utility. You'd be far better off parking a flatbed in a parking spot with a restaurant's worth of tables and chairs vs renting out asphalt rectangles so that a cannabis store can sell a few bucks worth of pre-rolls or a convenience store can sell a pack of smokes and a chip bag!
 
RapidTO lanes on Bathurst and Dufferin south of Bloor passed by council.

1753300077597.png

1753300160198.png

Via Matt Elliott on X.
 
Relevant to the section of Bathurst St. north of Bloor. Approved at Toronto East York Community Council today:

1. City Council prohibit stopping on the east side of Bathurst Street between Eglinton Avenue West and Bathurst Station North Exit from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday to Friday and from 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Saturday to Sunday, except public holidays.

2. City Council prohibit northbound left-turns, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday to Saturday, except public holidays (Toronto Transit Commission vehicles excepted), at the intersection of Bathurst Street and Davenport Road.

3. City Council prohibit southbound left-turns, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday to Saturday, except public holidays (Toronto Transit Commission vehicles excepted), at the intersection of Bathurst Street and Dupont Street.

4. City Council rescind the existing northbound left-turn restriction, from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., Monday to Friday, at the intersection of Bathurst Street and Dupont Street.

5. City Council enact the following amendments to traffic and parking regulations associated with Recommendations 1-4 and as generally described in Attachment 1 - Amendments to Traffic and Parking Regulations to the report (September 2, 2025) from the Director, Planning, Design and Management, Transportation Services.

Motions
1 - Motion to Amend Item (Additional) moved by Councillor Dianne Saxe (Final)
That:
1. City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services, in consultation with the Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Transit Commission, to monitor the impacts of No Stopping restrictions on the east side of Bathurst and No Left-Turn restrictions, and report back to Toronto East York Community Council in November 2026 on the transit speed and reliability improvements delivered from these measures, with an interim report in July 2026.


Parking staff indicated that paid parking usage between Bloor and Dupont is only 18% on the east side and 37% on the west side, so the parking restrictions would only result in a loss of $38 per day ($14k over a year).

Some business owners, like Summerhill Market's Brad McMullen and Minerva Cannibis' Paul Macchiusi, who both spearheaded the "Protect Bathurst" campaign against RapidTO, plus a handful of others resistant to change, gave deputations complaining about the proposed changes from the already watered down plan that the campaign resulted in. Councillor Saxe was vocal that she would find a compromise and find a different strategy for the portion north of Bloor St. Echos of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie...
 

Back
Top