Item - 2026.TE31.35

The Director, Congestion and Network Management, Transportation Services, recommends that:  

1. City Council authorize the closure of the Martin Goodman Trail on Parliament Street, between Merchant's Wharf and Lake Shore Boulevard East, from April 22, 2026, to December 31, 2026, inclusive.

2. City Council authorize the closure of the east boulevard on Parliament Street, between Merchant's Wharf and Lake Shore Boulevard East to establish a temporary bi-directional bicycle lane, from April 22, 2026, to December 31, 2026.

3. City Council authorize the continuation of the closure of the north side walk and an 8 metre wide portion of the westbound curb lane on Queens Quay East, between Bonnycastle Street and Small Street, from October 4, 2026, to December 31, 2026, inclusive.

4. City Council authorize the continuation of the temporary full closure of Small Street to all road users, where access and egress to existing local properties shall be maintained, between Queens Quay East and Lake Shore Boulevard East, from October 4, 2026 to December 31, 2026, inclusive.

5. City Council direct the applicant to continue to pressure wash or sweep (weather permitting) the construction site and adjacent sidewalks and roadways daily, or more frequently as needed to be cleared of any construction debris and made safe.

6. City Council direct the applicant to continue to clearly consult and communicate all construction, parking and road occupancy impacts with local business improvement areas and resident associations in advance of any physical road modifications.

7. City Council direct the applicant to continue to provide sufficient number of traffic control persons as determined by the Work Zone Coordinator and Toronto Police Construction Liaison Officer, on a daily basis to control construction vehicle access and egress to and from the site and maintain a safe environment for the public.

8. City Council direct the applicant to continue to provide a sufficient number of pay-duty Police Officers as determined by the Work Zone Coordinator and Toronto Police Construction Liaison Officer, during large scale concrete pours and large-scale material deliveries to control vehicle access and egress to and from the site and maintain a safe environment for the public.

9. City Council direct the applicant to continue to post a 24-hour monitored construction hotline number on the hoarding board, which must be prominently placed and legible from 20 metres and on all elevations from the construction site.

10. City Council direct the applicant to continue to provide and install public art, including mural artwork, onto every elevation of the hoarding board with adequate spotlighting for night-time illumination, at their sole cost, to the satisfaction of the Ward Councillor.

11. City Council direct the applicant to continue to cooperate with and provide all necessary assistance to the City Engineers, staff and representatives carrying out operation, maintenance, and construction activities to municipal infrastructure with the vicinity of the construction staging area, and at no cost to the City to remove any staging to accommodate the necessary municipal infrastructure work.

12. City Council direct that Queens Quay East, Parliament Street, and Small Street be returned to its pre-construction traffic and parking regulations (except with parking rates and hours of operation being consistent to the rates and hours of operation at the time of completion) when the project is complete.

13. City Council direct the applicant, in consultation with Transportation Services, to continue to maintain any bicycle lanes, and install appropriate signage to inform drivers and cyclists of any changes to the bicycle lanes.

14. City Council direct the applicant to continue to provide monthly community meetings, to discuss any concerns raised by the community.

15. City Council direct the applicant to continue to suspend truck movements including deliveries to the site between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. and between 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. weekdays.

As Queens Quay East is a major arterial road, City Council approval of this report is required.

Waterfront Toronto is delivering development enabling infrastructure and public space in the Quayside precinct bounded by Lake Shore Boulevard to the north, Bonnycastle Street to the west, Lake Ontario to the south and the Victory Soya Mills Silos to the east under the Quayside Infrastructure and Public Realm (QIPR) project. The QIPR project will realign Parliament Street, extend Queens Quay east to the Silos, normalize the Parliament Street and Queens Quay East intersection, deliver necessary servicing connections and improve Bonnycastle Street and Small Street. The QIPR implementation will unlock development parcels that include commitments for affordable housing and deliver much needed public realm improvements to the area. As a result, there will be a realignment and lane reconfiguration of Queens Quay East, from Lower Sherbourne Street to Parliament Street.

At its meeting on May 21, 2025, City Council authorized the:

- Temporary closure of the north sidewalk and a portion of the westbound curb lane on Queens Quay East, between Small Street and Bonnycastle Street; and

- Temporary closure of Small Street to all road users, between Lake Shore Boulevard East and Queens Quay East for a period of 16 months, from June 2, 2025 to October 4, 2026.

The delivery of servicing connections and improvements to Small Street are currently underway. The next phase of construction includes the realignment of Parliament Street and extension of Queens Quay East which requires the closure of the Martin Goodman Trail in the vicinity of Parliament Street to accommodate the construction of the new roadways and associated public realm. As a result, a temporary and protected bi-direction bicycle lane will be implemented in the existing boulevard area of the northbound curb lane on Parliament Street. The existing pedestrian sidewalk on the east side of Parliament Street will continue to be maintained. Under the existing staging plan, vehicle lane capacity will be maintained with no changes required

Due to a delay in the Release for Construction and changes in scope for the work, the existing construction staging on Small Street and Queens Quay are required to be extended to complete the works in those areas.

Therefore, Transportation Services is requesting authorization for the following:

- Temporary detour of the Martin Goodman Trail on Parliament Street, between Merchant's Wharf and Lake Shore Boulevard East and;

- Temporary closure of the east side boulevard on Parliament Street between Merchant's Wharf and Lake Shore Boulevard East and the provision of a temporary bi-direction bicycle lane for a period of 9 months between April 22, 2026 and December 31, 2026

- Extension of the existing temporary closure of the north sidewalk and a portion of the westbound curb lane on Queens Quay East, between Small Street and Bonnycastle Street from October 4, 2026 to December 31, 2026; and

- Extension of the existing temporary closure of Small Street to all road users, between Lake Shore Boulevard East and Queens Quay East from October 4, 2026 to December 31, 2026.

As there are no changes to vehicle lane capacity, a new traffic impact study has not been conducted.

There is no financial impact to the City. Waterfront Toronto is responsible for all costs including lost revenue from the parking machines. City Council endorsed the QIPR projects outlined in the Quayside Business and Implementation Plan in July 2022 as well as the priorities set out in the Next Phase of Waterfront Revitalization - Update December 2024. Waterfront Toronto's work is funded through tri-government investment that is subject to satisfactory cost-sharing between the City, the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada.