Toronto drivers will now face steeper fines for blocking intersections

Toronto drivers caught blocking intersections across the city will now face significantly steeper fines, Mayor Olivia Chow announced Monday.

At a news conference near King Street and University Avenue, Chow and Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie confirmed that the province approved a request to up the fines for this infraction, which Chow said “infuriates” other motorists.

“These drivers that blindly rush out into the middle of the intersection, even when they didn’t have room in front of them to get through… the light changes and everyone is stuck,” she said.

“The entire intersection, all of the traffic comes to a complete standstill… Well guess what? You are going to pay for bad behaviour.”

Drivers will now be charged $450 for blocking the intersections, up from just $85. In community safety zones, the penalty will be increased from $120 to $500.

The request to increase the fines was made by the city last year.

“Thank to the province of Ontario for listening to our frustration,” Chow said.

Traffic agents installed at some of Toronto’s busiest intersections have been credited for eliminating instances of vehicles blocking intersections 96 per cent of the time, the city said in a news release earlier this month. According to the city, this has reduced travel times and decreased the risk of collisions or near misses between vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians.

Chow said the city has also requested that the province allow for more cameras at intersections to catch drivers in the act.

“We are hoping that the minister will provide that support to us also… I know he is seriously considering it,” Chow said.

“It makes it a lot easier for us to enforce the law.”