Liberty Village Traffic Action Plan

December 2025 Update

I'm continuing to stay focused on improving traffic in Liberty Village, especially as the neighbourhood gets ready to host the FIFA World Cup next summer. 

Since Summer 2025, a number of improvements have been made to address traffic flow, road safety, and congestion in the neighbourhood and build off the work we’ve been doing since Summer 2024. These include: 

• Pickup/Dropoff: 
  • Portable variable messaging signs deployed to provide drop-off and pick-up guidance during Budweiser Stage Events on Lake Shore Blvd at New Brunswick Way and Newfoundland Rd
  • Staff Piloted new pick-up/drop-off strategy during CN 2025 – staff are currently evaluating the success of the pilot
• Additional traffic camera installation at Liberty St and Pardee Ave which will allow staff to have better oversight of traffic operations and address congestion in real-time during events
• Installation 4 on-street wayfinding signsas part of the City’s TO360 program to help guide pedestrians to major landmarks and find efficient walking routes at the following intersections: 
  • King and Atlantic
  • Liberty and Fraser
  • Liberty and Atlantic
  • Liberty and Dufferin
• Three speed humps have been installed on Western Battery Road, between East Liberty Street and Pirandello Street.
• The standing prohibition on the north side of East Liberty Street, east of Pirandello Street, has been extended to improve sightlines for motorists exiting form 50-54 East Liberty Street. 
• New or refreshed pavement markings have been installed at the following locations: 
  • Liberty St / Dufferin St: refreshed stop bars and zebra markings. 
  • Liberty St / Jefferson Ave: refreshed stop bars and crosswalks. 
  • Atlantic Ave / Snooker St: added zebra marking on the east leg.
  • Hanna Ave / Snooker St: refreshed stop bars and crosswalks; added zebra marking.
  • Lynn Williams St / East Liberty St: added zebra markings.

An update on the City’s Congestion Management Plan is tentatively scheduled to go to IEC in Spring 2026; staff will include an update on the Liberty Village Traffic Mitigation Plans as part of this report.  

Transportation Services connect with the local BIA and Residents’ Association on a regular basis to discuss construction coordination and traffic mitigation in Liberty Village.                    

We continue to work with and advocate to City staff for updates and improvements to traffic management in our neighbourhood, including additional regular presence of traffic agents at key intersections. 

There are now a total of 58 Traffic Agents Citywide. Currently For BMO Field events, Traffic Agents are typically deployed to the following locations (depending on availability): 

• Liberty St & Dufferin St
• East Liberty St & Strachan Ave
• Liberty St & Hanna Ave
• Strachan Ave & Fleet St/Manitoba Dr      

For other major events around Exhibition Place (i.e Ontario Honda Dealers Indy & Caribbean Carnival) either Toronto Police Services resources are requested or Traffic Agents. 

June 2025 Update

We know that traffic is a major concern in our community. Last year, I moved forward a traffic action plan for the neighbourhood. We had some significant wins, including bringing traffic control personnel onsite and reopening King St. W ten weeks ahead of schedule. 

City staff have implemented signal timing adjustments, as well cameras to monitor  travel patterns and continue to assess this data. We know there is more to do to ensure coordination with special events in the neighbourhood. 

This month at Toronto East York Community Council, we have pushed City staff to come back with a progress update next month, demonstrating  how we can: 

• Meet with and engage community members and local stakeholders, like the Liberty Village Residents’ Association and Liberty Village BIA,  around traffic-related updates and plan proactively for the summer months 
• Continue my push for paid duty officers and traffic agents at key intersections, and more.

Summer 2024 Update

I share the serious concerns of Liberty Village residents and visitors about worsening traffic congestion. While I know many of the challenges are not new, and are a result of planning decisions over many years, they have worsened with construction and events in the area, and the situation is at a critical point. My commitment is to keep working with seriousness to address the issue and make progress together.

I have been working with City staff over the past few months to examine action to alleviate immediate pressures and develop long-term solutions. At Council in July, we approved my motion for a Liberty Village Traffic Action Plan to identify and implement short, medium and long term solutions with a dedicated focus.

We moved quickly to:

• Stopping non-essential construction until King Street West construction work concluded, including an immediate halt on weekend work
• Traffic officer coverage on streets during peak times to direct traffic 
• Modify pavement markings and signage and install new traffic cameras at key intersections, including at Dufferin/Strachan, Wellington/Strachan, and another in progress at Liberty/Hanna 
• Taking action to manage the impact of special events on the neighbourhood
• And, we were able to re-open King St W, 10 weeks ahead of schedule 

Working together, we had a big impact. We saw a 50-67% wait time reduction at key intersections. 

Our work isn't over. On October 10 at City Council, we moved a report on the progress we made, and outlining what was coming next. I also moved motions to:  

• Ensure current and future developments comply with this plan, as well as the public realm strategy and the upcoming regeneration study
• Continue measures from the summer, like dedicated staffing at key intersections ( East Liberty/Strachan/Ordnance, and Liberty/Dufferin)
• Implement pngoing community consultation with local stakeholders 
• Advocate to Metrolinx for:
  • 15 minute GO service 
  • Liberty New Street coming ASAP 
  • Innovative ideas for Ontario Line construction to keep dump trucks off of East Liberty, Strachan, and Ordnance 

You can see my comments at Council here and view the final report and my amendments here.

My commitment to you is to keep working on improvements that make it faster, safer and more reliable to get where you need to go.

November Update on Ontario Line Construction

In November, Metrolinx announced they would keep dump trucks off neighbourhood streets in Liberty Village and develop a better construction plan for Exhibition Station, following the Liberty Village Traffic Action Plan and local advocacy together with the Liberty Village Residents’ Association and the Liberty Village BIA.

We’ve recently confirmed:

• A significant reduction in the number of daily trucks
• Metrolinx will use Dufferin as a key access point, not Strachan
• They’ll also put in place foundational parts of Liberty New Street to use during construction, including turning lanes, with commitment to expedite its opening to align with opening of the station.

This is encouraging progress that shows it is possible for Metrolinx to plan construction better working with community stakeholders.

With this new plan, I’ll keep working with City staff and with you to hold Metrolinx accountable, and to identify and implement continuous improvements as work on this critical transit infrastructure intensifies. 

Take this 1-minute survey to share your thoughts about next steps!

Thanks to everyone who has shared your traffic management ideas and experiences in Liberty Village to help develop the Liberty Village Traffic Action Plan. We’re moving forward with implementing this plan and responding to your priorities.

This work is both urgent and long term. As the city continues to grow and host major events like the FIFA World Cup in 2026, I’m determined to find better solutions to Liberty Village's traffic challenges. By working together, we can create a safer, more accessible neighbourhood for everyone.