What to know
- The City of Toronto says it’s seeing a higher volume of requests for pothole maintenance this year compared to previous years
- The city has filled over 23,000 potholes this year to date.
- Road users in Toronto can file reports for potholes, which the city says it will address in four to 30 days.
- Road users can also file third-party liability claims against the city if they are able to prove the city was negligent in road maintenance.
Toronto has filled over 23,000 potholes this year to date, as it says it’s seeing a higher volume of pothole requests compared to previous years.
On Tuesday, Mayor Olivia Chow said the city has deployed nearly 30 crews to repair potholes across the city, with a budget of $6.2 million for the year.
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The city says it identifies potholes through “regular patrols and reports made by the public.” It also says it follows the province’s Minimum Maintenance Standards (MMS) for Highways in the City of Toronto for repairs.
According to the MMS, the city’s timeline to repair potholes varies on the severity of the potholes and the class of roadway. The city says it repairs potholes in four days from the date they are reported on its busiest roads, and that it has 30 days to repair them on side streets.
Road users in Toronto can submit service requests to repair pothole damage on city roads, expressways and bike lanes through an online portal on the city’s website.
They can also file claims against the city if they believe the city’s negligence in maintaining its roads caused bodily injury or damage to property. However, the city says claimants should be aware the city is not the insurer, which means they are third-party claims that do not guarantee payment. In filing a pothole claim, claimants are required to prove that the city failed to maintain its roads in accordance with the provincial MMS.
According to the city, in the winter months when temperatures are low and there is snow and ice on the roads, it temporarily patches potholes with cold mix asphalt. They return to these sites for more permanent repairs with hot asphalt when it becomes warmer. Last year, the city filled the most number of potholes in March.
