The City of Toronto’s Executive Committee has approved the controversial RapidTO transit lanes on Bathurst and Dufferin streets, and transit advocates are now celebrating the move.
At its meeting on Wednesday, the committee spent nearly six hours discussing the project before ultimately deciding to approve it.
The plan will see dedicated priority bus lanes installed on sections of Bathurst Street between Bathurst Station and Lakeshore West Blvd, and priority streetcar lanes on Dufferin Street between Bloor Street West and King Street West.
The project will see both corridors run south of Bloor Street.
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One of the main priorities of the transit project is to get transit riders moving quickly and ease congestion during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Games, six of which will be hosted at BMO Field and is expected to draw in more than 300,000 visitors.
Local transit advocacy group TTCriders has been pushing for the installation of the lanes, and is celebrating the approval.
“This is a win for transit riders,” Andrew Pulsifer, executive director of TTCriders, said in a statement. “They will make buses faster and more reliable for thousands of people.”
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The installation of the lanes, particularly along Bathurst, was met with intense pushback from residents and businesses who feared the lanes would lead to less foot traffic due to the removal of curbside parking.
Several groups began launching campaigns to speak out against the plans, with business owners saying the lanes could potentially cause them to shut their doors.
Amidst the pushback, original plans to extend the lanes north of Bloor to Eglinton on Bathurst and north to Wilson on Dufferin were scaled back.
However, during the meeting Mayor Olivia Chow introduced a motion for city staff to develop implementation plans for the remaining rapidTO corridors north of Bloor on Bathurst and Dufferin.
The motion was carried, and also directed city staff to explore the plan alongside local business, councillors, residents, and transit riders.
“We’re pleased that Mayor Chow’s amendment committing to clear timelines extending these lanes further north, fulfilling commitments made by her and other members of the Executive,” Pulsifer said.
However, the work to fully approve the plans is still ongoing, and will need final approval by city council.
“TTCriders is calling on City Council to support this motion as amended, committing to clear implementation timelines for completing the Bathurst and Dufferin corridors and moving forward on other long-promised RapidTO routes,” TTCriders said in a statement.
The plan will seek final approval from city council at its July meeting later this month.
