Transport for the World Cup: the Toronto plan already amputated?

Due to the complaints of traders on the Bathurst and Dufferin streets, who are afraid that the creation of a route reserved for public transport has a negative impact on their turnover, the City of Toronto could amputate its emergency transport plan linked to the FIFA 2026 World Cup even before it receives the approval of the municipal council.

Originally, the plan Fast aimed to build public transport routes reserved on the streets Bathurst et Dufferin Between the soccer stadium BMO Field and avenue Eglinton West. However, the most recent version of the employee report, which will be studied later this month by a committee of municipal elected officials, recommends that a first section of this plan is made between the stadium and the street Bloor West and that the second section, between the streets Bloor et Eglintoneither reassess after this sports tournament.

The report will be presented to the Executive Committee on July 16, according to municipal documents published Thursday.

There are around 50 or 60 beloved local businesses, many of which belong to people who also live in the immediate vicinity. They have been really frightened by the prospects for their companies if people cannot park anywheresaid advisor Dianne Saxe during an interview with CBC THURSDAY.

However, the magnitude of this sporting event poses major logistical challenges. Toronto will host six games from the World Cup FIFA in June and July 2026 at the stadium BMO Field. The matches should attract more than 300,000 visitors, according to the municipal report.

City employees qualified the streets Bathurst et Dufferin of critical roads to bring people to and since the games. These two arteries already carry 75,000 users of public transportation normally in normal times together.

A project related to the World Cup

In July 2024, the municipal council authorized the personnel to accelerate the examination and design of priority public transport projects on the street Dufferin and the street Bathurst To improve transport during the World Cup.

The first version suggested prioritizing public transport to avenue Eglinton West.

In the new version, on the street Bathurstthe staff recommends the installation of priority tram tracks in the south of the station Bathurst at boulevard Lake Shore West, except for a segment between the street Nassau and the street Dund West due to the presence of a construction site at the hospital Western.

On the street Dufferinthe staff recommends the development of priority bus routes on the street King Street west Bloor West. The tracks located near the sidewalks would be converted into priority bus routes.

According to Ms. Saxony, the Torontais told him that they would like considerable improvements to be made to the bus service on the street Bathurst north of the street Bloor West, but they also want to protect local businesses.

According to the municipal staff report, the creation of priority roads would eliminate 75 parking spaces along the street Dufferin and 277 parking spaces on the street Bathurst. A total of 352 parking spaces would be eliminated.

A group of activists who defend users of public transport in Toronto finds that this proposal is absurd.

35,000 people use the line Bathurst Every day, 40,000 use the line Dufferin every day and they deserve to have prioritysaid Andrew PulsiferManaging Director of the group TTC Ridersduring an interview with CBC THURSDAY.

According to the city’s employee report, only 63 % of buses and 79 % of trams arrive on these two arteries on time.

The city has a good opportunity to solve the problems, but it refuses to grab itadded Mr. Pulsifer.

Problems only Five hours a day

In order to justify the modification of the project, the Saxony Councilor explained that the traffic problem is not constant on the street Bathurst. We have no problem with the buses 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We have a huge problem with the bus north in the afternoon from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. These are five very important hours, but it’s not 24 hoursshe said during this interview.

She said that she will present a motion during a meeting of the municipal council committee in September so that the city Unlock these buses When they are stuck.

If the Executive Committee approves the city employees’ proposal, it will be presented to the municipal council. If the municipal council approves it, the report suggests that the realization of the two projects could start in the fall with an estimated completion in spring 2026, a few weeks before the World Cup holding.

According to information from CBC