Planned transit improvements for two of Toronto's major arterial roads, Bathurst Street and Dufferin Street, are likely to be more than halved as City Hall concedes to concerns over street parking. The proposed changes, part of the larger RapidTO plan to implement transit lanes citywide, were formally given the go-ahead by City Council in 2024. Bathurst Street and Dufferin Street have been prioritized by City staff, as both corridors are expected to play a key role in transporting fans to the 2026 FIFA World Cup events at BMO Field. With public consultation underway, several resident groups have formed in opposition to the proposed transit priority measures, primarily centred in the downtown neighbourhood of The Annex. 

A streetcar sits in a red transit only lane at Bathurst Street and Lake Shore Blvd West, image courtesy of the City of Toronto

RapidTO was first conceived of during the pandemic, when traffic hit all-time lows and the possibility of making permanent changes to city streets, aligned with Toronto's climate and transportation goals, appeared possible. Initial plans would have seen a rapid rollout of transit lanes across the city, following the successful pilot installation of bus lanes along Eglinton Avenue East, Kingston Road, and Morningside Avenue. Jane Street would receive bus lanes in 2021, Steeles Avenue West and Finch Avenue East in 2023, and Dufferin Street and Lawrence Avenue East in 2024. 

This has not occurred, with the initial Eglinton East bus lanes remaining the only major corridor to have received transit priority measures of any significant scale. As of early 2025 it appeared that progress on the file had all but halted, with the second planned RapidTO corridor on Jane Street reaching its fourth year of "design", a task initially projected to take less than 12 months. 

The RapidTO network plan adopted by Toronto City Council in 2024, image courtesy of the City of Toronto

Interference from local councillors, public opposition, the absence of a political champion, plus an alleged divide within City staff over the feasibility of bus lanes, have collectively brought the initiative to a standstill. Should bus lanes be delivered this year on Jane Street, and that project's timeline of 5 years per roadway-specific study persist across all "Priority Roadways" identified in the 2024 plan, completion of the first phase of RapidTO is not set to finish until 2130. No, that's not a typo.

A cross section of the proposed Jane Street bus lanes at Lawrence Avenue West, image courtesy of the City of Toronto

With the FIFA World Cup set to bring scores of fans from across the globe to Toronto in less than a year, the City has renewed its push for bus lanes along key corridors. Matches will take place at BMO Field, located within the Exhibition grounds, and officials hope the majority of attendees will arrive via public transit. The expansive event site on the western waterfront is served by Dufferin buses to the west and Bathurst streetcars to the east. As such, the two streets' surface routes are now being prioritized by City staff in order to deliver dedicated transit lanes ahead of the start of the World Cup in June 2026. The TTC has stated that the delivery of these lanes would significantly reduce transit travel times, draw thousands of new daily riders and reduce operational expenses. 

A map of the proposed changes to Bathurst Street between Eglinton Avenue and Lake Shore Blvd West, image courtesy of the City of Toronto

After the City announced its revived focus on implementing transit lanes this Spring, some residents and business owners expressed concern and began organizing in response. Groups such as “Bathurst Is Home”, “Protect Bathurst”, and “Protect Dufferin” launched social media campaigns, centred primarily around Bathurst Street and Bloor Street. Soon after, posters appeared in storefronts along the corridor, raising concerns about the potential loss of on-street parking and its impact on their continued ability to operate. Summerhill Market’s Annex location was among the businesses to display signage citing issues with losing curbside delivery access, despite having both a surface parking lot and laneway access.

A sign in the window of a business protesting the installation of bus lanes on Bathurst Street, May 17, 2025, image courtesy of Urban Toronto forum contributor txlseries4

Garnering major media attention upon launching, the organizations in opposition to the proposed transit lanes quickly came under scrutiny from transit advocates for their anonymity, usage of AI, and downplaying the worthiness of shortening transit riders' commutes. Members of the public shortly thereafter discovered the online domains for “Protect Bathurst” and “Protect Dufferin” were registered by an employee of Summerhill Market. In quick succession boycotts were announced on the upscale grocer, to which Summerhill Market responded by publicly renouncing its role in the campaign against RapidTO.

As public arguments for and against the street reconfiguration raged on, University-Rosedale Councillor Dianne Saxe, municipal representative of much of the Bathurst Street corridor, proposed the removal of a portion of the Bathurst street bus lanes. Suggesting on June 10, 2025, that the installation of bus lanes between Dupont Street and Bloor Street be deferred until after the next municipal election, Saxe defended her proposal by claiming the "consequences to the businesses would be really serious.” Councillor Saxe was notably absent during the council vote to prioritize delivery of transit improvements on Bathurst Street and Dufferin Street last July.

A string of express and local buses sit idle in traffic on Dufferin Street, image courtesy of the City of Toronto

In a short time, a few blocks would grow into many, as on July 9th, 2025, City staff released a new report recommending the removal of plans to install any bus lanes north of Bloor Street until following the 2026 World Cup. The segments of Dufferin Street and Bathurst Street recently excluded from immediate implementation will be subject to further study at a later stage. It remains unclear whether the stretches between Bloor Street and Eglinton Avenue will be included in the broader roadway specific reviews planned for the full extent of each transit route, extending north to Wilson Station on Dufferin and to Steeles Avenue on Bathurst.

A streetcar and bus pull out of Bathurst Station, image courtesy of the City of Toronto

With political support for Toronto's latest attempt to improve bus and streetcar service eroding, public consultations led by the TTC and City of Toronto remain ongoing. It is still unclear whether proposed transit improvements on Bathurst Street and Dufferin Street will face the same prolonged delays as earlier attempts on Jane Street, or occur at all. Regardless of the outcome, when the World Cup arrives in 2026, thousands of fans will be relying on the TTC to reach matches—whether dedicated transit lanes are in place or not.

UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on this, but in the meantime, you can leave a comment in the space provided on this page.

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