Toronto Announces Launch of CurbTO Program

Today, Mayor John Tory announced the launch of CurbTO. CurbTO is a program being run by Transportation Services, who have been working in collaboration with Public Health, that encourages physical distancing for pedestrians passing each other on narrow sidewalks through the creation of Curb Lane Pedestrian Zones and providing 10-minute Temporary Parking Pick-up Zones for easier pick-up and delivery at essential service locations. The program is being launched at 10 sites today will be expanded to more than 100 sites over the coming days and weeks complete with signage.

CurbTO sites are being determined on criteria set by Public Health and principally address sidewalk crowding and access issues at essential service locations that are seeing lineups, such as grocery stores, pharmacies, and food locations. As the program expands, businesses providing essential services looking for a Curb Lane Pedestrian Zone or 10-minute Temporary Parking Zone outside their own location can apply to the City for a CurbTO initiative near their business online here or via an email to curbTO@toronto.ca. At this time, the program will not include full road closures and the Chief Medical Officer of Health is continuing to emphasize that the public should continue to stay at home as much as possible.

For businesses located in Toronto Business Improvement Areas (BIAs), BIA offices are being sent correspondence from City staff asking them to act on behalf of all their active businesses and to coordinate with staff on where new CurbTO locations should be sited. A public-facing map is under development for all CurbTO installations and will be shared with the public once ready, but the first 10 spots will be implemented at the following locations:

1. Carlton Street and Church Street – Pedestrian zone
2. Danforth Avenue and Broadview Avenue – Pedestrian & Parking zones
3. Dupont Street and Lansdowne Avenue – Pedestrian zone
4. Bay Street and Yorkville Avenue – Parking Zone
5. Front Street East and Berkeley Street – Pedestrian & Parking zones
6. Gerrard Street East and Parliament Street – Pedestrian zone
7. Gerrard Street East and Broadview Avenue – Pedestrian & Parking zones
8. King Street West and Spadina Avenue – Parking zone
9. Bloor Street West and Bathurst Street – Pedestrian & Parking zones
10. Queen Street East and Carlaw Avenue – Pedestrian zone

Jamie Besner, Principal - jbesner@sussex-strategy.com
Angela Drennan, Vice President - adrennan@sussex-strategy.com
Tristan Downe-Dewdney, Associate - tdowne-dewdney@sussex-strategy.com
Lauren Goethel, Jr. Associate - lgoethel@sussex-strategy.com