Church Street pedestrianization pilot launches this summer
The Village's Church Street will close to car traffic from mid-June through late August as part of a city pilot, clearing a long-stalled precedent.
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Church Street through The Village is being closed to vehicle traffic this summer — a pedestrianization pilot that sailed through council approval in under a year, marking a rare moment of speed in Toronto policy-making.
The closure runs from mid-June to late August on the stretch that bisects The Village, backed by The 519, the local business improvement area, city councillor Chris Moise, and about 3,500 petition signatures. Council approved the plan earlier this month.
The project was treated as an event rather than a formal policy experiment, according to a four-page memo from the Transportation Service's street permits director. The memo noted the civil service lacked enough information to fully vet the proposal and highlighted that the city has no formal pedestrianization policy or program — a structural gap that has slowed similar projects across downtown.
Councillor Brad Bradford, who is running for mayor this fall, added an escape clause allowing staff to halt the project if unforeseen problems arise.
The pedestrianization comes amid ongoing debate over other downtown closures. Lower Yonge Street (Queen to College) remains in consultation, while the John Street Cultural Corridor — an idea dating back years — continues to languish in planning limbo. The ease with which Church Street approval moved forward underscores what advocates see as unnecessary delays on other projects. Market Street and Kensington Sundays remain Toronto's only other pedestrianized zones.
