Amid a heated, politicized debate over proposed priority bus lanes on Bathurst, a local city councillor is proposing an exemption for a stretch on the É«É«À² thoroughfare between Bloor and Dupont Streets.
On Tuesday, Dianne Saxe offered a compromise between transit advocates seeking faster commute and small area businesses anxious over the loss of their livelihoods with the removal of parking spaces in the community.
The divisive bus routes are part of a proposed expansion of the city’s RapidTO bus lane program onto Dufferin Street (from Dufferin Gate to Eglinton Avenue West) and on Bathurst Street (for buses and streetcars, from Lake Shore Boulevard to Eglinton Avenue West).
Saxe proposes deferring until after the next municipal election installation of a permanent 24/7Â TTC bus curb lane between Bathurst Station and Dupont, which would require permanent removal of all street parking. She will, however, support a temporary dedicated lane in this area if needed during the 2026 World Cup.
She said this would allow city staff to work with É«É«À² universities and other transit systems to study technical and enforcement options for possible time-of-day dedicated bus lanes for these few blocks. Under her plan, a mix of turn restrictions, no-stopping times and a parking fee hike would be introduced immediately to facilitate area traffic.
“I called it a compromise yesterday, but I think interim steps is a more accurate way of putting it,” said Saxe, who unveiled her proposal on Tuesday.
“I strongly support RapidTO on this whole section. It’s just for these two or three blocks. I think it’s worth a try, given that the consequences to the businesses would be really serious.”
While TTCriders said it appreciates Saxe’s effort for a compromise, the grassroots transit advocacy group doubted her plan would really give transit users real priority on Bathurst.
“We understand that some local councillors may be hearing pushback from a select few residents,” it said. “Tens of thousands of people use Bathurst and Dufferin every day, and their voices deserve to be heard just as much as anyone else’s.”
Grocery store owner Brad McMullen, however, called Saxe’s proposal thoughtful and a step in the right direction for small businesses.Â
“She has listened to the concerns of all of her constituents,” said the owner of the Summerhill Market, which has a location on Bathurst Street near Bloor Street. “We look forward to working with Councillor Saxe in the near future to review all options for traffic on Bathurst, especially between Bloor and Dupont.”
The Bathurst Street bus lanes has especially drawn scrutiny. While the complaints have come from both sides, the rhetoric has escalated. Some think these are long overdue and city hall has taken too long to get them painted; others criticize the city is moving too fast and hasn’t consulted thoroughly with business owners.
Business owners who face the prospect of having a priority bus lane outside their stores have rallied under a “Protect Bathurst” campaign, issuing a dire warning that businesses along Bathurst and Dupont may shutter over the loss of on-street parking spaces. That campaign drew scrutiny after it used AI-generated people, posing as concerned locals, on its Instagram page to boost its messages.
The proposed lanes were approved by the TTC board with the caveat that they could be changed depending on public consultations, and will still need approval from city council before the routes are installed.
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