At the July 10 meeting of the Toronto City Council Infrastructure and Environment Committee, Walk Toronto filed a submission or presented a deputation from Walk Toronto Steering Committee member, Adam Cohoon on several issues related to walking, including a Chief Congestion Officer, the Missing Sidewalk Program, and to support the construction of a sidewalk on Hesketh Court.
IE. 23.4 Establishing a Chief Congestion Officer for the City of Toronto.
Read the letter (PDF) submitted on behalf of Walk Toronto by Lee Scott.
IE 23.6 Cycling Network Plan – 2025 Cycling Infrastructure and Missing Sidewalk Installation – Second Quarter Update.
Read the letter (PDF) submitted on behalf of Walk Toronto by Lee Scott.
IE 23.11 Hesketh Court – Proposed New Sidewalk Construction.
Read the letter (PDF) submitted on behalf of Walk Toronto by Susan Bakshi.
Category: Latest Issues
Problems, solutions, projects, controversies and other matters that affect pedestrians in Toronto.
Walk Toronto supports recommendations of Winter Maintenance Program Review
Walk Toronto wrote to the Executive Committee of City Council to support the recommendations of the Winter Maintenance Program Review.
After the severe snowstorms of February 2025, pedestrians had significant complaints about inadequate and erratic plowing of sidewalks, which made walking difficult, dangerous, and, for some, impossible for many days.
Walk Toronto supported a motion in March for a Winter Maintenance Program Review to look at how winter maintenance can be improved in response to major snow events.
Walk Toronto is pleased with the significant recommendations that have come out of this review, including for a Major Snow Event Response Plan. We encourage City Council to implement these recommendations in time for the next winter season.
- Read Walk Toronto’s letter to Executive Committee (PDF)
- See the full agenda item and Program Review report
Walk Toronto’s Adam Cohoon also wrote separately to the Executive Committee (PDF), and spoke at the meeting, about the difficulties faced by wheelchair users during and after these storms.
Walk Toronto comments on Vision Zero and pedestrian streets at City committee
At the June 2025 meeting of the Infrastructure and Environment Committee, Walk Toronto submitted comments regarding making it easier to establish safe pedestrian crossings, and establishing pedestrian zones on city streets.
For the item “Updates on Vision Zero Road Safety Initiatives: Improving Crossings for Pedestrians, Updated Road Classification Criteria and Other Matters,” Walk Toronto’s Dylan Reid submitted comments supporting making it easier to establish safe pedestrian crossings where there was a long distance to another crossing, or where a pedestrian had been killed or seriously injured. These are changes Walk Toronto has long advocated for. However, we urge the City to establish safe crossing points at locations that local communities identify as dangerous before anyone is killed or seriously injured, rather than after.
Walk Toronto’s Adam Cohoon also submitted comments regarding safe crossing technology, and spoke in person at the meeting.
For the item “Pedestrian Streets Policy and Guidelines Development – Accessibility Feedback,” Walk Toronto’s Michael Black submitted comments supporting the City of Toronto’s initiative to establish more pedestrian streets while ensuring accessible access, but calling on the city to be more ambitious with establishing pedestrian zones than just small sections of individual blocks.
Read Michael Black’s comments regarding pedestrian streets (PDF)
Walk Toronto comments on the importance of pedestrian safety in congestion and construction management
At the Infrastructure and Environment committee meeting, held April 9, 2024, Walk Toronto made submissions on two items.
Congestion and construction issues were up for discussion as Transportation Services offered to committee the IE20.3 Congestion Management Plan – 2025 Update. Much of the plan prioritizes solutions to speed up the movement of vehicles with special focus on how to manage construction sites and their impact on city-wide road congestion. Walk Toronto has repeatedly voiced concern over the prioritization of vehicle movement over the safe and timely passage of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.
In another agenda item put forward by Councillor Dianne Saxe (University-Rosedale), and also related to the heavy burden Toronto citizens face related to construction, Susan Bakshi posted a submission on behalf of Walk Toronto for IE20.12 Breathing Easier During Construction, supporting Saxe’s motion to reduce construction “nuisance” dust which is reducing comfort and safety of pedestrians.
Walk Toronto supports review of sidewalk snow clearing after major storms
In the wake of the significant disruptions caused by the record snowfall in February, Walk Toronto’s Lee Scott wrote to the March 19, 2025 meeting of Toronto City Council’s Executive Committee to emphasize the vulnerability of pedestrians in major snowfalls and to support a review of sidewalk snow clearing procedures in those circumstances.
Walk Toronto’s Adam Cohoon also wrote to Executive Committee with specific recommendations in terms of accessibility for major snow events.
Walk Toronto addresses multiple issues at the Infrastructure and Environment Committee
Walk Toronto submitted multiple communications at the February 27, 2025 meeting of the Infrastructure and Environment Committee, and Walk Toronto’s Adam Cohoon deputed in person for several items. Walk Toronto supported various proposals to make Toronto a better, safer, more comfortable, and less polluted city for walking.
- IE19.1 Cycling Network Plan – 2025 Cycling Infrastructure Installation – First Quarter Update
◦ Submission from Lee Scott on Behalf of Walk Toronto:
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ie/comm/communicationfile-187962.pdf
◦ Deputation by Adam Cohoon - IE19.2 Anti-idling By-law
◦ Submission from Susan Bakshi on behalf of Walk Toronto:
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ie/comm/communicationfile-187984.pdf
◦ Adam Cohoon Deputed - IE19.3 Street ‘A’ Environmental Assessment Study
◦ Submission from Pam Gough and Lee Scott on behalf of Walk Toronto:
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ie/comm/communicationfile-187992.pdf
◦ Adam Cohoon deputed - IE 19.4 1886-1920 Eglinton Avenue West – Construction Staging Area
◦ Lee Scott submitted letter on behalf of Walk Toronto:
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ie/comm/communicationfile-187967.pdf
◦ Adam Cohoon deputed - IE19.6 King Street Transit Priority Corridor Improvement – Update
◦ Deputation by Adam Cohoon - IE19.9 Strengthening Toronto’s Tree Canopy – Report on Climate Resilience and Tree Equity
◦ Submission by Susan Bakshi on behalf of Walk Toronto:
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ie/comm/communicationfile-187972.pdf - IE19.10 Options to Fund and Expand the HTO To Go Water Trailer Program
◦ Adam Cohoon deputed - IE19.12 Corporate landowners Should Have to Clear their Sidewalks again
◦ Speaker Adam Cohoon
Walk Toronto supports expansion of Vision Zero, but notes some issues
Walk Toronto has written to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee to comment on the update to the Vision Zero road safety program.
Walk Toronto strongly endorsed the continued expansion of the program, but noted a couple of areas of concern, involving the lack of maintenance of zebra markings on crosswalks, and the lack of movement in changing the “warrant” system to give more weight to a death or serious injury caused by a collision.
We thank Councillor Dianne Saxe for raising our concerns in the committee discussion and getting a promise from staff to follow up on them.
Walk Toronto supports a pedestrian scramble intersection at Yonge and Eglinton
Walk Toronto has written to City Council to support a motion by councillors Josh Matlow and Mike Colle to look at implementing a pedestrian scramble intersection (where there is a pedestrian-only crossing phase in all directions as well as regular crossing phases) at Yonge and Eglinton once the Eglinton Crosstown LRT is active.
Yonge and Eglinton has the heaviest pedestrian count of any intersection in the city in recent years, with 40,372 pedestrians were counted at the intersection on May 29, 2024 – a far higher volume than the number of vehicles.
At the same meeting, Walk Toronto submitted a letter to City Council for the item “Respecting Local Democracy and Cities” in defence of the city’s right to make its own decisions on bike lanes, which protect pedestrians as well.
Walk Toronto supports automated streetcar enforcement for passenger safety
At the September 24 meeting of the TTC board, Walk Toronto’s Lee Scott spoke in favour of a motion by councillor Josh Matlow to implement automated (camera) ticketing for motorists who drive by open streetcar doors (item 15; councillor Dianne Saxe also moved a similar motion). Here is her deputation:
Good afternoon. Thank you for this opportunity to speak.
My name is Lee Scott. I am a member of the Walk Toronto Steering Committee and a resident living 50 m from the 507 streetcar stop at First Street and Lake Shore Blvd W in Ward 3, New Toronto.
Just this morning at 7am, as I waited in my car for a green light on northbound First Street at Lakeshore Blvd West, I saw what is almost a daily occurrence … the driver of an SUV passing the open doors of the westbound streetcar that had stopped for passengers at Dwight Avenue. The operator of the streetcar honked repeatedly as the driver of the vehicle continued westbound. Honking is currently the only option of the streetcar operator … a meaningless effort that will not help anyone in the path of that vehicle.
Walk Toronto urges the board to accept this motion to use cameras installed in streetcars to record and ticket drivers who drive by the open doors as an absolute minimum action that can be taken to fine and educate drivers to the risk of severe injury and death they pose to the pedestrians boarding and exiting the streetcar.
Each person riding in a streetcar is repeatedly reminded by recorded message just before the doors open to look right for “traffic.” Traffic is actually the driver of a vehicle that could inflict severe harm or even death. This is just another example of how the most vulnerable road user must be in a constant state of high vigilance when trying to navigate the city.
Also, it is important to remember, especially because we often forget, that there could be pedestrians waiting at the curb to step out to the road to board the incoming streetcar. There is no automated message at the streetcar stop reminding a person to look left. Meanwhile, there are drivers of vehicles who are oblivious to these pedestrians waiting at the curb. These drivers attempt to speed past the streetcar before the red lights at the doors begin to flash. Several years ago, I witnessed this exact horrifying scenario … a pedestrian stepped out on the curb at Kipling and Lakeshore Blvd West just before the flashing lights had been turned on. It was dark and rainy. That person was violently struck and thrown to the pavement by a driver racing past the streetcar.
Walk Toronto sees the automated camera solution as a reactive tool that will begin an education process for drivers but it is just that, reactive. We would like to take this opportunity to request that the TTC board consider even more proactive solutions to avoiding pedestrian injury and death … possibly turning on flashing lights before the streetcar has come to a stop.
It is raining today and we are entering the dark season. This is the time of year when pedestrians and other vulnerable road users are at even greater risk getting on and off the streetcar. Walk Toronto urges the board to accept this motion as a vital first step in making the people boarding and exiting streetcars safer.
Thank you.
Walk Toronto writes to support transformation of Avenue Road for pedestrian safety
Walk Toronto has written to the Toronto East York Community Council, and earlier to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee, to support the proposed transformation of Avenue Road between Bloor and Dupont into a four-lane main street (rather than a 6-lane highway).
Walk Toronto has also proposed that, given the extremely narrow sidewalks between Davenport and Dupont, for the sake of safety and accessibility some unneeded parking spaces be removed to create more space for pedestrians, and simple platforms be used to make all additional pedestrian spaces level with the sidewalk.