Some Torontonians are not convinced that the Gardiner Expressway will be completed a year earlier than scheduled after the Ford government revealed it’s investing $73 million to accelerate construction.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria made the announcement Wednesday morning at City Hall. The city approved a plan to reallocate funds from the upload of the Gardiner and the Don Valley Parkway (DVP) to the province under the Ontario-Toronto new deal.
Currently, the Gardiner has been reduced to two lanes in each direction between Dufferin Street and Strachan Avenue for a six-phase rehabilitation project. This project was scheduled to be completed by April 2027, however the new funding will go towards 24/7 construction in order for it to be done by April 2026.
Chow said this will be accomplished through additional crews, extension of work hours, additional equipment to speed up the demolition, and faster production of materials.
Following the news, local residents took to social media to share their reactions, but many are not hopeful about the hastened timeline.
“Saying and actually doing are two completely different things. The Eglinton Crosstown has taught everyone to never trust their timelines ever again,” one X user said.
“Moving a 3 year construction project up a year means it will be done in 4 instead of 5,” another user said.
“Wow!! A whole year. That ain’t gonna happen. It’ll be late by 2 more years. Look at the mess with the new subway lines,” another user commented.
“More lies,” another comment read.
Last week, the city closed down Fleet St. to Lake Shore Blvd. W. and from Strachan Ave. to British Columbia Drive to accommodate the Honda Indy.
In response to the city’s traffic congestion along the Gardiner and King St., Deputy Mayor and City Councillor for Ward 10, Spadina–Fort York Ausma Malik says the situation has reached a “critical point.”
“I am committed to ensuring public safety, efficient emergency services, and smooth traffic flow in this neighbourhood, so everyone can get where they need to go. I have been working with City staff seriously over the past few months to examine action to alleviate immediate pressures and develop long-term solutions,” she said in a statement to Now Toronto last week.
Malik has also put forward a motion asking the municipal government to urgently design an action plan to ease the congestion in Liberty Village.
The Gardiner is expected to reopen in 2026 when the city hosts the FIFA World Cup.
