What to know
- The four Toronto streets listed are Steeles Ave E., Sheppard Ave W., Bathurst St., and Unwin Ave, all of which are named in CAA’s 2026 top ten worst roads in Ontario.
- City repair blitzes have targeted major routes, but residents still report potholes, congestion, and ongoing construction.
- Drivers, cyclists, and transit users are split: some notice improvements, while others feel road conditions remain poor.
- Debate continues over bike lanes, traffic, and city planning, fueling frustration among commuters.
Four of Ontario’s ten worst roads are in Toronto, according to a new CAA report, and locals with a set of wheels have something to say about it.
In a city where the seasons are winter and construction, there’s no shortage of potholes. Mayor Olivia Chow might have hosted a pothole blitz ahead of FIFA, but some drivers and cyclists are still experiencing road issues to date.
The CAA report revealed the following four streets as the “worst” in Toronto.
- Steeles Ave E.
- Sheppard Ave W.
- Bathurst St
- Unwin Ave
Now Toronto asked Torontonians about their thoughts on the worst roads.
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What do Toronto residents deem the worst roads?
Toronto resident Sunny Sahid names Blue Jays Way, Peter St., and highway ramps as some of the worst roads.
“They’re redoing [those streets,] but sometimes there are large potholes too when you’re coming off the highway and getting on the highway,” he told Now Toronto.
Sahid believes potholes remain despite the blitz to fix them.
“There’s still a lot of potholes. They fix some, but new ones start again. It’s very tough to keep track of them, but I would say that it hasn’t all been fixed,” Sahid said.
Amy Parker agrees, saying the potholes are “crazy.” For her, along Dufferin Street happens to be the worst.
“I was riding the Dufferin bus the other night, and honestly, your soul leaves your body. It’s so bumpy, there’s so many potholes,” she told Now Toronto.
But Toronto resident Tye H. hasn’t experienced as many potholes. For him, the issue is compact, congested streets with bikes, pedestrians, scooters and traffic.
Though he agrees with the ranking that Bathurst Street is possibly one of the worst.
“To no one’s surprise. I can’t speak for all those streets, but I do live next to Bathurst, so it is really congested,” Tye said.
But Toronto resident Patrick D. doesn’t believe the roads have had many issues for a while, especially since the blitz.
“It’s pretty good, to be honest. Big improvement over the past couple of years, I’ve noticed,” he told Now Toronto.
Residents’ hot takes on Toronto roads
Sahid believes city officials need a better staff who actually experience the struggles of navigating Toronto roads firsthand.
“I feel like the planning for them hasn’t been done the best. It feels like people who don’t drive are the ones who are constantly planning things, especially in a city where we find it being a lot colder throughout the year rather than warmer months, so having so many bike lanes doesn’t really make sense to me,” he added.
Parker believes there needs to be more bike lanes and alternative modes of transportation to better manage traffic.
“There are a lot of main streets that don’t have dedicated bike lanes, and it introduces so many accidents every year,” she said.
But Tye defends the city, saying they’re trying their best.
“I know it’s hard with a city that’s just growing at such a rapid rate with the construction infrastructure and the population, but I don’t know, continue to work harder,” he said.
