On Wednesday, July 16, Toronto city council approved the construction of priority bus lanes on Bathurst and Dufferin.
The proposal, titled RapidTO, was first endorsed by council in February of 2024 and is expected to improve transit travel times for the six FIFA World Cup games Toronto will be hosting in 2026.
Council voted 18 to 5 for RapidTO bus lanes on Bathurst Street, and 20 to 3 for RapidTO bus lanes on Dufferin Street.
Backlash from residents and business owners between Dupont and Bloor Street West resulted in the lanes being installed on a shortened stretch of Bathurst than was initially planned.
Protect Bathurst, a grassroots coalition of Toronto residents, local business owners, and accessibility advocates, hosted a press conference in June opposing the bus lanes.
Bathurst Street’s lanes will run from Bloor Street West to Lake Shore Boulevard West, excluding the stretch between Nassau Street and Dundas Street West. Dufferin Street’s lanes will run from Bloor Street West to King Street West.
Construction is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2025. City staff have been tasked by council to further study a RapidTO proposal between Bloor and Dupont which remains controversial. .
—Abigail Harris/Gleaner News
READ MORE:
- FORUM: Bathurst Street: Not yet RapidTO (Aug. 2025)
- NEWS: Pushback on Bathurst bus lanes (July 2025)
- LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Empty cars don’t buy things responses (July 2025)
- OPINION: Empty cars don’t buy things—people do (May/June 2025)
- FORUM: Easing congestion into summer (May/June 2025)