What to know
- Olivia Chow says the city is rolling out a one-day pothole blitz after weeks of winter damage, deploying 29 crews across Toronto. The budget for pothole repairs is also increasing from $5.5 million in 2025 to $6.2 million in 2026, with residents encouraged to report trouble spots to 311 so crews can prioritize fixes.
- Drivers aren’t convinced it’s enough. Online, Torontonians are sharing stories of flat tires and costly repairs, with some questioning whether blitzes focus more on speed than long-term fixes.
- Josh Matlow is pushing the city to stay proactive, calling potholes a safety hazard for drivers and cyclists alike. While he welcomes the mayor’s attention to the issue, he says the real test will be whether response times — and funding — actually meet the scale of the problem.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow announced potholes will be fixed today, but one city councillor is still raising concerns.
On Tuesday, Chow announced the city has deployed 29 crews to fix potholes across the city, and said the budget for the service has been increased from $5.5 million in 2025 to $6.2 million for 2026.
The mayor also advises residents to report potholes to 311 so the city can track and prioritize repairs.
We have 29 crews out across the city fixing potholes today.
— Mayor Olivia Chow 🇨🇦 (@MayorOliviaChow) February 24, 2026
I understand the frustration drivers feel, the damage potholes can cause.
Mother Nature hasn’t given us a break but as soon as there is an opportunity, City crews will do a blitz. Last year we filled more than 250,000…
“I understand the frustration drivers feel, the damage potholes can cause. Mother Nature hasn’t given us a break but as soon as there is an opportunity, City crews will do a blitz,” Chow wrote on X.
The announcement comes after Chow told reporters on Monday that the city will host a blitz soon following the four weeks of deep freeze, and that “We’re ready to fix it.”
She shared she saw some “gigantic” potholes that “eat your tire” and “wreck your alignments,” due to the year’s “brutal” winter.
Reacting to Chow’s comments, residents have been raising concerns about potholes online, and calling out the city for not taking action.
One Reddit user commented on their fears, “Potholes in this city have not been this bad in years. I am seriously afraid that I will miss one and it will cost me a lot of $$$.”
Another user added, “Already had one flat tire this season.”
Reacting to Chow’s update, another Reddit user expressed doubts about the effectiveness of today’s repairs, writing: “The pothole blitzes prioritize speed over doing a pothole repair correctly.”
Councillor urges the city to take action
Earlier on Tuesday, Councillor Josh Matlow urged the city to address pothole issues.
In an X post, the councillor said potholes can be a safety hazard and cause damages, and called on residents to report them to 311.
The statement reads in part, “I’m asking the City to actively repair, and prioritize, the many streets that have been damaged this winter with potholes, some significantly big- that can damage vehicles and create real safety hazards.”
I’m asking the City to actively repair, and prioritize, the many streets that have been damaged this winter with potholes, some significantly big- that can damage vehicles and create real safety hazards. If you see a pothole that needs filling, please call 311 or use the 311 app. pic.twitter.com/D7zXY7ANJ2
— Josh Matlow (@JoshMatlow) February 24, 2026
In an interview with Now Toronto on Tuesday, Matlow said he already reached out to Transportation Services General Manager Ashley Curtis and the city to request they prioritize fixing the potholes.
“It is obviously more challenging when we are below-freezing [temperatures], and it’s difficult—and sometimes even impossible—to effectively fill or repair potholes when it’s below freezing,” he explained.
“But we are expecting in the coming days some above zero weather, and I’m asking that the city both respond to 311 calls, identifying where there are potholes of concern, but also proactively do a blitz this weekend and as often as possible and whenever possible, so that the streets are both navigable and safe.”
In response to Chow’s post, Matlow said he is satisfied to see the mayor addressing the importance of the pothole issue, but raised concerns about the increased budget.
“What many residents feel, though, is that it often takes far too long for the city to respond, and so proof will be in the pudding this season to determine whether or not the budget that the mayor allocated to pothole repairs is sufficient… But the very fact that the mayor is publicly recognizing that it’s a priority and is putting resources toward it is a good thing.”
The councillor also emphasized that potholes can lead to safety hazards and costly damages to private property.
“The reality here is that whether you’re driving and you experience serious and expensive damage to your car, or if you’re bicycling, where you could be thrown off your bike and be seriously injured. This affects everyone, and so the maintenance of the roads, no matter how you use them, is important to every resident,” said Matlow.
