Highway 401 Overpass Safety

The Public Gallery wrote no story on this item. What follows is the city’s own record of what happened to it, as filed: nothing on this page is summarised or scored by us.

The decision

2024-02-06 · Toronto City Council · amended

As filed

City Council on February 6 and 7, 2024, adopted the following: 1. City Council direct the City Manager to develop a policy framework for the management and monitoring of rallies and protests, ensuring alignment with the City's Human Rights and Anti-Harassment Policy, and report back to City Council by December 2024. 2. City Council recognize that it is the responsibility and the jurisdiction of the police to conduct enforcement

Show the rest of As filed, 110 more characters as filed

at a rally or protest, and in doing so recognize the need to adequately fund the police to carry out the work.

The vote

Amend Item (Additional) · Carried, 13-11

For (13)Anthony Perruzza, Brad Bradford, Dianne Saxe, Frances Nunziata, James Pasternak, Jennifer McKelvie, Jon Burnside, Josh Matlow, Michael Thompson, Mike Colle, Nick Mantas, Olivia Chow, Vincent Crisanti

Against (11)Alejandra Bravo, Amber Morley, Ausma Malik, Chris Moise, Gord Perks, Jamaal Myers, Lily Cheng, Parthi Kandavel, Paul Ainslie, Paula Fletcher, Stephen Holyday

Absent (2)Jaye Robinson, Shelley Carroll

The whole record, all 26 members

Every name opens that member’s record.

On the agenda

As the city filed it

In recent months, there has been a growing number of protests and rallies on 401 overpass bridges around the Greater Toronto Area. These groups vary in size from a few people to dozens. The events include the waving of flags, the affixing of posters to the bridge overhang, and using noise amplification. At times, there are also counter protests. A 401 overpass is perhaps one of the most dangerous locations for protests and rallies.

Show the rest of As the city filed it, 806 more characters as filed

The intention of the protests is to deliberately distract drivers to bring attention to their cause, on one of the busiest highways in North America. It is only a matter of time before there is a catastrophic accident with fatalities, injuries and property damage. Because the overpass is municipal responsibility and the highway below is provincial, various issues have emerged about what enforcement measures the City of Toronto can take to keep the roadway free of protests and safe for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. There are also questions about how jurisdictional and enforcement measures are handled and divided between city staff (such as Municipal Licensing) and which are handled by Toronto Police Services. There is an urgency to see jurisdictional and enforcement clarity on this matter.

Staff recommended

Councillor James Pasternak recommends that the Infrastructure and Environment Committee: 1. Request the General Manager, Services and City Solicitor to report directly to the February 6, 7, and 8 2024 City Council meeting on: a. existing safety policies and available enforcement measures to prevent driver distractions from rallies, protests, waving flags and affixing of banners on Highway 401 overpasses including an itemized list of safety and enforcement measures to keep pedestrians, cyclists and motorists safe; and b.

Show the rest of Staff recommended, 257 more characters as filed

the jurisdictional responsibilities and roles of the City of Toronto, Province of Ontario, Toronto Police Services and Ontario Provincial Police in protecting the safety of pedestrians, cyclists and motorists on Highway 401 overpasses and the highway below.

Considered

2024-01-09 · Infrastructure and Environment Committee · forwarded without recommendation
Decision as filed
The Infrastructure and Environment Committee forwards the Item to City Council without recommendation.
Clerk’s note
The Infrastructure and Environment Committee: 1. Requested the General Manager, Transportation Services and the City Solicitor to report directly to the February 6, 7 and 8, 2024 City Council meeting on: a. existing safety policies and available enforcement measures to prevent driver distractions from rallies, protests, waving flags and affixing of banners on Highway 401 overpasses, including an itemized list of safety and enforcement measures to keep pedestrians, cyclists and motorists safe; and b.
Show the rest of Clerk’s note, 269 more characters as filed
the jurisdictional responsibilities and roles of the City of Toronto, the Province of Ontario, the Toronto Police Services and the Ontario Provincial Police in protecting the safety of pedestrians, cyclists and motorists on Highway 401 overpasses and the highway below.
2024-02-06 · Toronto City Council · amended
Clerk’s note
City Council considered Items EX11.10 and IE10.7 together.

On the record

The item as the City filed it