Last term, I initiated a Neighbourhood Transportation Plan (NTP) for Leaside to address long-standing road safety issues on our local streets. While there have been street-specific studies completed in the past, the Leaside NTP – which is being undertaken by the new Area Transportation Planning Unit – is one of the first network-wide, local road safety initiatives in Toronto. While there will be similar initiatives in other areas of the city, I asked staff to prioritize this one because I know traffic safety is top-of-mind for the community.
After initial data collection and analysis, Area Transportation Planning staff began public consultation in early 2022 with a virtual information session. That summer, residents had the opportunity to provide feedback on local areas of concern through a digital mapping tool. Using the data collected and guided by public input, City staff developed Phase One of the Leaside NTP, which was presented to the community at a public meeting in June 2023. In parallel, staff collected community feedback through an online survey that received over 500 responses.
In November, North York Community Council approved Phase One of the Leaside NTP.
With a focus on addressing speeding, Phase One includes measures such as traffic calming, sightline improvements, in-road flexible speed signs, and Vision Zero Intersection Realignments – several of which are already under construction. In addition, City staff are reviewing measures to improve pedestrian crossing safety at the intersection of Bayview Avenue and Sutherland Drive.
As a next step, the City will be mailing out polls on streets where traffic calming measures are recommended. Transportation Services requires each poll to meet a response and support threshold in order to proceed with traffic calming measures in the respective locations. I would encourage all Leaside residents on the impacted streets to monitor your mailboxes in the coming months and respond to the polls with your feedback.
While I am pleased Transportation Services staff are moving forward with the first phase of road safety improvements in Leaside, I echo the concerns raised by many neighbours – including the Leaside Residents Association – that Phase Two must get underway as soon as possible. That’s why I moved a motion at North York Community Council directing staff to explore all opportunities to accelerate Phase Two of the Leaside NTP, as well as refining several aspects of Phase One using feedback from the community.
For more information about the Leaside NTP, please visit the City of Toronto’s project web page at www.toronto.ca/LeasideNTP. To get in touch with the project team directly, you can email or call 416-338-3033.
Finally, I am sending Season’s Greetings and my best wishes for a Happy New Year to all Leaside families as we round out the year!
