Item - 2026.TE33.73

The Toronto and East York Community Council:

1.  Directed the General Manager, Transportation Services to permit volunteers to install “Don’t Ride on the Sidewalk” sidewalk safety decals designed and provided by the City’s vendor, but paid for by volunteers, on the following sidewalks in Ward 11:

a. north west College Street and Bay Street;

b. south west Grosvenor and Bay; 

c. south west Wellesley and Bay (near BikeShare station);

d. north west St Joseph and Bay (near BikeShare station);

e. north west St Mary and Bay;

f. south west Charles and Bay (near BikeShare station);

g. north east Queen's Park East and Charles;

h. south east Queen's Park East and St. Joseph;

i. north east Queen's Park East and Wellesley;

j.  south west Dr. Emily Stowe Way and Grenville (adjacent to BikeShare station);

k. north east College and Queen's Park (near BikeShare station); and

l. 111 Wellesley W (adjacent to BikeShare station).

2.  Directed the General Manager, Transportation Services and the Chief Communications Officer to report to the appropriate committee in the first quarter of 2027 with recommendations on:

a. dentifying areas across the city where pedestrians experience chronic conflicts with motorized vehicles on sidewalks;

b. how much “Don’t Ride on the Sidewalk” markings approved by Transportation Services improve pedestrian safety in such areas;

c. whether non-slip painted markings can be safely used as a more durable, lower-cost alternative to decals, and

d. how the City can facilitate installation of sidewalk safety markings.

Pedestrians in Ward 11 experience chronic conflicts with motorized vehicles on sidewalks, particularly in the vicinity of food service businesses, which are located in a high density in Ward 11.

City staff have experimented with various forms of “walk your wheels” safety sidewalk markings. Painted markings have been used in past years, which last for multiple seasons. Last year, Communication Services and Transportation Services designed, procured and installed a small number of sidewalk decals with approved markings that reminded riders to walk their vehicles on the sidewalk. These decals had some success, but were removed at the end of the summer season.

Staff have now procured a slightly larger number of such decals to be installed in 2026, at an installed cost of about $500 each, but this does not provide nearly enough sidewalk safety warnings for the density of such conflicts in Ward 11. The Bay Cloverhill Residents Association, which experiences a high number of such conflicts, has volunteered to pay the $100 purchase price for each of an additional 12 decals and to install them themselves in the locations listed below. However, they would much prefer to use non-slip painted markings which are more durable and less expensive.

These decals are needed to reduce sidewalk conflicts in the very busy summer season. Staff have already ordered the 12 additional decals, and residents are waiting for permission to install them.