City of Toronto Transportation News

Toronto's public transport system is attracting attention both because of the challenges it is facing as well as the upcoming infrastructure projects which should improve the connectivity and efficiency of the city’s transport network.

According to The Moovit Global Public Transport, commuters in Toronto spend an average of 55 minutes commuting to work, making it the second longest commute in Canada and the US, falling just behind Vancouver. This means that Toronto residents spend one year and seven months on public transportation in their lifetime. In terms of wait times, passengers in Toronto wait an average of 14 minutes for a ride, putting it in the same category as New York, Boston and Chicago.

Surveys found that only 22% of commuters use one line of public transit to get to work, while the same number say they need three or more lines, as such making this the lowest percentage in North America.

Infrastructure challenges and projects

Toronto faces significant challenges in the development of transport infrastructure. Work on the Eglinton Crosstown LRT is entering into its 14th year of construction, falling two years behind schedule of the originally planned deadline. The line, with its 19 km span and 25 stations, will connect East Scarborough with Toronto's West Side and include connections to existing subway lines, suburban lines as well as several bus routes.

To add, the line is planned to be extended by an additional 9 km to the west, which would connect the far east of Toronto with the western part of the city, the airport as well as the city of Mississauga.

This new 15.6 km /15-mile metro line with its 15 stations will connect Exhibition Place through the city center (mainly along Queen Street), it will cut across the DVP to the east to Peep Street then all the way to Don Mills and the Eglinton Crosstown LRT. Construction of the Ontario Line in Toronto began in March 2022 and is finally actively progressing across multiple segments. Particularly noteworthy is the work being done on two important bridges: one at the Don Valley River crossing and in the central part of the city, at Corktown and Mospark stations. The year 2025 will be crucial for tunnel activities. Overall, the Ontario Line project is currently on track to being completed by 2031.

Toronto's public transport authority will introduce undercover fare collectors; dressed in civilian clothing, as a measure aimed at reducing the number of passengers evading fares. This practice, known to many Belgraders from the 1980s, aims to contribute to better efficiency of public transport as well as fare collection.

Toronto continues to work to improve public transit, however only time will tell whether and to what extent these projects and measures will succeed in reducing travel time and improving the passenger experience.

This article is part of the Local Journalism Initiative