Toronto's $56.4B traffic crisis prompts new czar and bold reforms

Toronto's traffic woes are worsening, with congestion costing the city an estimated $56.4 billion in 2024. Without action, that figure could nearly double to $108 billion by 2044. In response, the city has appointed a new traffic czar to tackle the growing problem.

The Toronto Region Board of Trade recently released a report outlining five key steps the provincial government could take to ease gridlock. These include stricter rules for lane closures and upgrades to major highways.

The latest report, Breaking Gridlock: Finishing the Job through Provincial Action, highlights the financial and time burdens of Toronto's traffic. Commuters lost around four days to delays in 2025 alone. The city also ranked second in Canada for the worst congestion that year.

To address the issue, the report proposes changes to the Highway Traffic Act. One suggestion is holding vehicle owners accountable for blocking intersections. Another is requiring impact assessments before lane closures on provincially managed projects. These measures aim to cut unnecessary delays and reduce costs.

The city has already adopted some recommendations from earlier studies. These include limiting lane closures and improving traffic flow on key routes. The report also calls for a review of Ontario's highway network to identify and upgrade major bottlenecks. Specific upgrades, such as better access points on the Gardiner Expressway, are under consideration.

Andrew Posluns has been brought in as Toronto's traffic czar to oversee these efforts. His role will involve coordinating between city and provincial authorities to implement the proposed changes.

Despite the urgency, no recent data compares Toronto's daily time losses to other heavily congested Canadian cities in 2025. The focus remains on preventing future economic strain while easing current delays.

The report's recommendations target both short-term fixes and long-term solutions. If adopted, stricter lane closure rules and highway upgrades could reduce delays and costs. The city's next steps will depend on collaboration between local and provincial officials to turn these proposals into action.