On traffic congestion, Toronto voters — and certain mayoral candidates — need to accept reality

On October 24, 2026, Toronto voters faced continued debates over traffic congestion amid mayoral candidates' differing views. Albert Koehl wrote in *The Star* that despite efforts to alleviate congestion, the city's geography and reliance on cars make it impractical to provide more space for vehicles. He cited Etobicoke as an example, where existing infrastructure includes three parallel multi-lane motorways: the Gardiner Expressway with eight lanes, Queensway with four lanes, and Lake Shore Boulevard also with four lanes downtown increasing to eight.

Some candidates, like Brad Bradford, propose removing busways and bike lanes to ease congestion. However, Koehl argues that such measures would undermine cheaper and more efficient transportation methods like streetcars, buses, trains, and bicycles. He points out the inefficiency of private automobiles weighing around 1,800 kilograms on average while carrying a single occupant weighing about 80 kilograms, necessitating extensive parking space. Despite research urging reduced car dependency, some politicians continue to advocate for more space dedicated to vehicles.