TORONTO, October 5, 2026 – As Toronto’s municipal election approaches, road safety on Parkside Drive, east of High Park, is once again drawing attention. The area has long faced concerns over speeding, pedestrian safety and cyclist safety, while the City’s planned road redesign has also been affected by changes to provincial policy.
Parkside Drive connects Bloor Street West and Lake Shore Boulevard West and serves as an important north-south road in the area. Over the past decade, serious collisions on the road have resulted in five serious injuries and three deaths. All collisions involving serious injuries or fatalities affected road users such as pedestrians and cyclists.
After years of community calls for road safety improvements, Toronto City Council approved a redesign plan in principle in 2024. The plan includes adding cycling infrastructure, improving major intersections, adjusting some traffic lanes and updating TTC bus stops. Some sections were originally planned to have motor vehicle lanes reduced to make room for a two-way cycle track.
However, Ontario later tightened rules related to bike lanes, creating new restrictions for parts of the original plan.
Speeding concerns have also recently returned to the spotlight. Since Ontario banned municipal automated speed enforcement cameras in 2025, speeding on Parkside Drive has drawn more attention.
Candidates running for city councillor in Ward 4, Parkdale–High Park, have proposed different approaches, including increasing police enforcement, adding traffic-calming measures, adjusting traffic signals and continuing efforts to move ahead with the original road redesign plan.
The City has previously approved speed humps on some residential streets near Parkside Drive, with the goal of slowing vehicles after they enter local neighbourhood streets.
For nearby residents, the Parkside Drive issue is not only about bike lanes. It also involves pedestrian crossings, bus operations and traffic pressure on surrounding residential streets.
As the October 26 municipal election approaches, the future redesign of the road has become a specific issue in Ward 4 discussions about traffic safety.
（LJI by Yuanyuan）
