Toronto is a large city with many construction projects, particularly work involving news roads, buildings and infrastructure. For a long time, it was exciting to see the city grow and improve, with better roads and new developments making it easier to get around.
But these projects transformed Toronto into one of slowest moving cities on the planet. According to the 2025 Inrix Global Traffic Study, Toronto is 39th in congestion ranking among the world’s cities, the second worst in Canada.
The report by the traffic data company says Toronto drivers lose about 59 hours a year being stuck in traffic. Montreal drivers lose about 63 hours a year because of congestion. For comparison, the world’s slowest city is Istanbul where drivers lose about 118 hours to congestion.
A report conducted by the CAA South Central Ontario said the concern of road conditions remains top of mind for Ontarians.
Its survey found that 80 per cent of Ontarians have complained about road conditions to their partner, co-worker or mechanic rather than to the government responsible for road maintenance.
The survey also found that poor road conditions can contribute to vehicle damage, congestion and safety risks for drivers.
Construction is a major source of frustration in Toronto.
Traffic.ca’s timeline site reports 58 active construction projects currently. The City of Toronto’s Congestion Management Dashboard acknowledges that the number of construction projects across the city is making it more difficult to move around.
Projects include road, bridge, transit, and water main renewals, as well as new developments.
Another report, published by Ontario Construction News, called for action on Toronto’s $44.7-billion Toronto congestion crisis with fewer closures, and better infrastructure planning. The report said many closures overlap and are poorly coordinated.
It also found that closures are sometimes scheduled during peak travel periods or remain in place when no work is taking place.
I didn’t always pay attention to road construction.
Once I became a licensed driver, I realized my assumptions on the use of public transportation being slower were wrong.
Ultimately, it would take an equivalent amount of time to drive myself. The more I drove, the more I realized how much construction affects everyone on the road.
Now, every time I drive, I see more construction projects overlapping. At times, I find myself thinking, “This is taking forever … When will the construction workers be done?”
Some projects seem to remain unfinished even a year after they began.
The impact is especially noticeable when lanes are reduced. A road that normally moves traffic efficiently can quickly become congested when several lanes are closed.
I have also noticed how quickly frustration builds in these situations. There is more honking, more aggressive driving and, sometimes, road rage.
I try to avoid streets that are under construction so I do not have to deal with the delays. But in Toronto, that can be difficult. Everywhere you look, there seems to be construction.
Construction is necessary for a growing city.
Roads need repairs, infrastructure needs to be added or replaced, new transit and developments need to be built. The problem is not that Toronto is improving its infrastructure. The problem is how disruptive the process can become when projects overlap and closures are not properly coordinated.
My experience as a driver has changed how I see construction. I have learned that I cannot control when a road will be closed, lanes will be reduced or how long a project will take.
If I want to drive, construction is simply one of the factors I have to deal with.
But drivers should not have to feel that every trip across the city means navigating from one construction zone towards another. I hope the city and construction companies can work together more effectively and coordinate projects better.
Toronto needs to keep growing and improving, but that growth should not come at the expense of making every trip unnecessarily difficult for the people who live here.
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