Item - 2026.AU11.7
Tracking Status
- City Council adopted this item on March 25 and 26, 2026 with amendments.
- This item was considered by Audit Committee on February 12, 2026 and was adopted with amendments. It will be considered by City Council on March 25 and 26, 2026.
- See also 2025.AU10.3
AU11.7 - The Use of Paid Duty Officers and Alternative Traffic Control Measures for City Construction and Maintenance Activities
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Amended
- Wards:
- All
Caution: Motions are shown below. Any motions should not be considered final until the meeting is complete, and the decisions for this meeting have been confirmed.
Committee Recommendations
The Audit Committee recommends that:
1. City Council receive the report (January 29, 2026) from the General Manager, Transportation Services for information.
Background Information (Committee)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2026/au/bgrd/backgroundfile-264714.pdf
Background Information (City Council)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2026/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-285511.pdf
Attachment 1: Traffic Management, Queen Street East and Broadview Avenue
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2026/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-285512.pdf
Attachment 2: Traffic Management, Liberty Street at Dufferin Street and Strachan Avenue
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2026/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-285513.pdf
Attachment 3: Traffic Management for Major Events and Construction, Dufferin Street at Liberty Street / King Street West
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2026/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-285493.pdf
Attachment 4: Traffic Management, Adelaide Street West and University Avenue
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2026/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-285494.pdf
Attachment 5: Queen Street East Construction Project PDO Locations Map
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2026/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-285514.pdf
Communications (Committee)
Motions (City Council)
That:
1. City Council request the General Manager, Transportation Services to include the proposed Paid Duty Officer instruction sheet as part of the materials sent to Councillor offices for construction management of significant projects in their wards.
AU11.7 - The Use of Paid Duty Officers and Alternative Traffic Control Measures for City Construction and Maintenance Activities
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Amended
- Wards:
- All
Committee Recommendations
The Audit Committee recommends that:
1. City Council receive the report (January 29, 2026) from the General Manager, Transportation Services for information.
Decision Advice and Other Information
The Audit Committee:
1. Requested the General Manager, Transportation Services to report directly to the March 25, 26 and 27, 2026 meeting of City Council and provide examples of the forms on which the specific instructions and duties are outlined for the posting for Paid Duty Officers.
2. Requested the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services, to report directly to the March 25, 26 and 27, 2026 meeting of City Council with the initial instructions for Paid Duty Officer for the TOWater and TTC construction on Queen Street East between and Broadview and the Don Valley Parkway entrance and the subsequent instructions for this construction.
Origin
Summary
City Council, through Item AU10.3, directed Infrastructure Services to report to the Audit Committee on the basis for requesting Paid Duty Officers for Toronto Water, the Toronto Transit Commission, and Transportation Services construction and maintenance projects, including examples of common instructions provided to Paid Duty Officers and alternative options for their use.
This report responds to that direction by outlining the circumstances under which Paid Duty Officers are requested, the operational and decision-making framework used to assess the need for police authority in work zones, the type of activities Paid Duty Officers are typically instructed to perform, and the situations in which alternative resources such as Traffic Agents or Traffic Control Persons may be appropriate.
Paid Duty Officers are deployed in complex traffic scenarios where enforcement authority is required, such as construction near signalized intersections, school zones, high-pedestrian areas, or situations requiring regulatory enforcement or rolling closures. Transportation Services staff provide direction to Paid Duty Officers, Traffic Agents, and other traffic management personnel to ensure that their activities align with the operational needs of each closure. This may include prioritizing turning movements at intersections, facilitating transit movements on diversion routes, or managing emerging congestion points to maintain safety, mobility, and overall network performance.
Decisions regarding Paid Duty Officer deployment are made on a site-specific basis using professional engineering judgement, guided by the Ontario Traffic Manual Book 7, and in collaboration with Transportation Services, construction applicants, and the Toronto Police Service.
Background Information
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2026/au/bgrd/backgroundfile-264714.pdf
Communications
Motions
That the Audit Committee:
1. Recommend that City Council receive the item for information.
2. Request the General Manager, Transportation Services to report directly to the March 25, 26 and 27, 2026 meeting of City Council and provide examples of the forms on which the specific instructions and duties are outlined for the posting for Paid Duty Officers.
3. Request the Chief Engineer and Executive Director, Engineering and Construction Services, to report directly to the March 25, 26 and 27, 2026 meeting of City Council with the initial instructions for Paid Duty Officer for the TOWater and TTC construction on Queen Street East between and Broadview and the Don Valley Parkway entrance and the subsequent instructions for this construction.