Item - 2026.TE28.52

 The Toronto and East York Community Council:

1. Prohibited stopping on both sides of the public lane South Queen West Simcoe, between Duncan Street and a point 43 metres east, from January 15, 2026, to January 15, 2028, inclusive.

2. Prohibited stopping on both sides of the public lane South Queen West Simcoe, between a point 60 metres east of Duncan Street and a point 15 metres further east, from January 15, 2026, to January 15, 2028, inclusive.

3. Prohibited stopping on both sides of the public lane South Queen West Simcoe, between a point 108 metres east of Duncan Street and Simcoe Street, from January 15, 2026, to January 15, 2028, inclusive.

My office has worked closely with the Queen Street West BIA, local residents, Metrolinx, and City staff from the Transit Expansion team to open up Queen St West as a major artery of our downtown during Metrolinx’s construction at Osgoode Station as part of the Ontario Line. The goal has been to move as much activity as possible off of Queen  and make it accessible to all.

Metrolinx has requested a temporary closure of Simcoe Street, between  Queen Street West and the laneway south of Queen Street West. Simcoe Street is where equipment used will be located instead of Queen Street. This closure is required to support ongoing cavern excavation activities associated with the south shaft construction at Osgoode Station. Due to the temporary closure of Simcoe Street, the laneway entrance from Simcoe Street will be restricted, and residents will be required to access their garages via Duncan Street.

My office has worked to advocate for inclusion of Metrolinx flag persons in the local laneway to ensure coordination between delivery vehicles and residents travelling to and from their homes. The Queen Street West BIA, local residents, and Metrolinx were engaged in these discussions.

To allow for proper enforcement, a no-stopping by-law is recommended to be installed at specific points in the laneway. Within the general provisions of the City of Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 950, Traffic and Parking, parking is prohibited on a public laneway, with existing signage noting this throughout the laneway. Currently, due to the absence of stopping regulations along the laneway south of Queen Street West, delivery vehicles frequently block residents’ access. To mitigate these impacts, Metrolinx has requested the implementation of No Stopping regulations within the laneway to ensure unobstructed access to residential properties for the duration of the construction period.

This motion seeks to amend the Parking by-laws required for the construction of Osgoode Station of the Metrolinx Ontario Line South Segment Works.

A review of the surrounding area confirms that sufficient curb space is available to accommodate loading and unloading needs, including several designated delivery-vehicle parking zones in proximity to the laneway. These include multiple 20-minute delivery zones on Duncan Street, as well as additional No Parking areas on Queen Street West and Richmond Street West where short-term deliveries are permitted under the by-law. Adequate alternative stopping locations therefore exist for delivery vehicles serving nearby businesses.