City officials have been coordinating changes to Bathurst Street as part of the RapidTO transit corridor, including removal of on‑street parking on the east side between Bloor and Dupont.
The adjustments aim to speed up the TTC’s No. 7 bus, which has long suffered from delays along the corridor.
A city councillor described the parking removal as the “best compromise” to achieve faster bus service, emphasizing the public benefit for thousands of riders.
The councillor acknowledged strong community feelings about both the bus lane and parking changes, but argued that improved transit reliability outweighs the inconvenience.
Internal city emails obtained through a freedom‑of‑information request reveal a series of discussions between the councillor’s office, the Toronto Parking Authority, and TTC officials about the scope of parking reductions.
Early correspondence requested expert input from a local university on implementing a time‑of‑day bus lane and suggested that restricting left turns during peak periods could quickly improve bus reliability.
The Parking Authority expressed a preference for retaining as much parking as possible while recognizing that some stalls might need to be repurposed for efficient transit operation.
Subsequent messages indicated that up to 138 parking spaces could be affected, and that the transportation services division was reconsidering the extent of the removals.
The councillor’s office continued to press for reduced parking availability, citing opportunities to adjust parking hours and locations on the east side of the street.
TTC leadership was asked to present at a community council meeting to explain why the parking changes were deemed essential for bus speed and reliability.
TTC officials affirmed that the parking removals were “very critical” to accelerating the No. 7 route, while also promising targeted, incremental adjustments beyond the dedicated lanes south of Bloor.
City officials reported that the 277 parking spaces eliminated as part of the RapidTO rollout had utilization rates ranging from 10 % to 39 % during peak periods.
Critics argue that the data understates actual demand, noting congestion on the west side of Bathurst and difficulties for residents and businesses, especially on weekends.
Business owners have reported challenges such as reduced customer access and limited ability for parents to pick up children, attributing these issues to the new parking restrictions.
The council approved the
