Despite years of debate and planning, Parkside Drive in Toronto’s west end remains one of the city’s most notorious roads for speeding and with the banning of automated speed cameras by the province, some residents fear the issue is being forgotten.  

A few metres from the curb, the empty post that used to hold the Parkside Drive speed camera still stands. It was repeatedly cut down before the province banned the use of automated speed cameras late last year. 

“Speeding has not been addressed, the cameras showed us there was a problem. The fact they haven’t done anything is really concerning,” said Faraz Gholizadeh co-chair with Safe Parkside. 

Parkside Drive has a history of crashes. A City of Toronto report says there were 1,487 crashes on the road between Bloor Street and Lake Shore Boulevard between 2014 and 2024.  

In October 2021, two people were killed after a chain reaction accident at the intersection of Parkside Drive and Spring Road. The driver was travelling over 100 km/hr when he slammed into stopped vehicles. 

The Parkside Drive speed camera was installed in April 2022, and it quickly become one of Toronto’s most prolific, issuing over 69,000 tickets, amounting to more than $7.3 million in fines. 

Motorists were caught driving at speeds that exceed 150 km/hr in the posted 40 km/hr zone while the cameras were in use. Seven of the top 10 speeds on that stretch were more than 120 km/hr. 

The City had also approved a bike lane and other safety measures for the busy road, but like with speed cameras, Toronto was overruled by the province. 

“It keeps me up at night, we have been trying, we made small changes, were just at a point where we were altering what was a freeway, and then the province just came in and stomped all over it,” said Parkdale-High Park Councillor Gord Perks. 

The City of Toronto said it is limited by what it can do on Parkside. Speed bumps can’t be installed because it’s an emergency access road for fire, police, and paramedics.    

The City is now studying what can be done, and changes are promised by summer. 

“We are working behind the scenes to be ready so we can make small moves that aren’t a bike lane or street reconstruction, and if everything goes right, we’ll have that in place before the FIFA [World Cup],” added Perks. 

“I don’t know what their answer is going to be but unless it’s reducing the speed from where it is, if they’re not going to make this a community safe zone, then they’re not serious,” said Gholizadeh. 

The provincial legislation that bans the removal of a live lane of traffic for a bike lane also included the removal of bike lanes on Bloor Street, University Avenue, and Yonge Street.  

Following a Charter of Rights and Freedom challenge by a bicycle advocate group, a judge found the legislation unconstitutional, citing increased risks to cyclist safety and a lack of evidence that the removals would reduce traffic congestion. 

The Ford government appeal of that ruling will be heard January 28.   

The City is waiting to see how that might impact the future design of Parkside Drive.