Etobicoke residents tell Toronto candidates to fix traffic, housing and bike lanes

Etobicoke residents are making their final pitches to mayoral and council candidates, highlighting traffic congestion, bike lanes and housing affordability as top priorities with two weeks left before Toronto's October 26 municipal election.

Traffic and bike lanes top the concerns for some residents. Gary M., an Etobicoke resident and cyclist, said traffic congestion is a major concern and believes the next mayor should address it. He argued that bike lanes contribute to the problem, particularly when they appear underused. "I understand people need to get around, and a bike is a great way to do it. I'm a cyclist myself, but Toronto is a new city. We're not an old European city, so these things are sitting vacant during winter time, especially out here," he said.

Gary pointed to congestion on Bloor Street heading toward the Gardiner Expressway: "Sometimes you'll come down Bloor Street, trying to get on the Gardiner, you see just a line of traffic, and then there's these two giant bike lanes on each side, there's nobody using them. If they're not using them in July, they're certainly not going to use them in January."

Jeff K. shares similar concerns about bike lanes in the Kingsway area, saying they negatively affect nearby businesses and contribute to traffic problems. "It's all the businesses. The traffic's terrible. Safety vehicles can't get through. So it, yeah, it's got to be fixed. It's got to be fixed fast," he said. Jeff believes the city has not addressed residents' concerns, saying: "They've ignored everybody here completely. It's all about the environmental piece, and people aren't looking at the day-to-day lives of people who live in the area."

Housing affordability remains a pressing concern for other residents. Helen B. wants the city to address the growing number of people without access to affordable housing. "I would say there are too many people in this city who don't have a place to live," she said. She also highlighted the importance of maintaining Toronto's infrastructure while noting that housing affordability needs greater attention.

George O. identified affordability as a concern but said creating more opportunities for residents is an even greater priority. "The city, they're not doing the best job about it. Honestly, affordability is a smaller issue than opportunity, and I feel like opportunity is the biggest issue right now," he said.