Toronto police to resume pre-pandemic rush-hour bylaw, parking enforcement

Toronto police will once again begin enforcing rush-hour and parking bylaws this week, targeting vehicles blocking traffic.

The one-week traffic blitz, which began Thursday and will run through June 30, will focus on improving traffic flow by focusing on vehicles blocking intersections and compliance with traffic signals, police say.

Rush-hour routes will be enforced the same way they were prior to the start of the pandemic, police said in a news release.

Toronto Mayor John Tory says deploying more traffic officers will help manage busy intersections congested by the volume of people returning to work as well as ongoing construction.

Tory says he hopes more people will use public transit, adding that transit ridership is nearly at 60 per cent.

"We have to get people back on public transit but also take account of how to manage the traffic more effectively," Tory told CBC Radio's Metro Morning on Friday.

Tory said traffic levels in the city are at 90 to 95 per cent of what they were prior to the pandemic.

Police say they will also resume towing of vehicles blocking rush hour routes starting July 4. Vehicles caught blocking intersections could face a fine of $125.

"With the return of pre-pandemic traffic volumes in the city, the resumption of traffic signal and intersection enforcement and routine rush hour-related parking enforcement activities are necessary to keep motorists and pedestrians safe," said Toronto police Supt. Scott Baptist.

"The enforcement of these regulations will help keep our city moving and facilitate getting people where they're going, hopefully with as little disruption as possible."

Police will also be focusing enforcement on speeding, aggressive driving and distracted driving to follow Toronto's Vision Zero 2.0 Road Safety Plan.