Getting around Toronto this weekend is going to be a thoroughly stressful ordeal
Surprise, surprise — this weekend is going to be yet another brutal one for Toronto traffic, meaning you'll have to budget some extra time to get around the city amid all of its road closures, transit disruptions, congestion and delays.
It's the final weekend of the CNE, which means crowds will be out to hop on some rides, play some midway games and gorge themselves at the food building for the last time this year, especially with this stunning weather.
With the Ex's conclusion also comes the Canadian International Air Show for 3.5 hours each day from Saturday, September 2 to Monday, September 4, which will not only mean thousands of people flocking to the waterfront, but also stopping to stare at the sky in awe no matter where they are.
Other all-weekend events drawing masses downtown include Anime Toronto at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Electric Island at Fort York, Hot and Spicy festival at the Harbourfront Centre, and Bark in the Park and Buskerfest in Woodbine Park.
There's also Arctic Monkeys at Budweiser Stage and NF at Scotiabank Arena, both on Friday; Smashing Pumpkins at Bud Stage and Jai Wolf at the Danforth Music Hall, both Saturday; Guns N' Roses at the Rogers Centre and Labour Day fireworks at Canada's Wonderland on Sunday; and Cigarettes After Sex at Echo Beach and Promise Cherry Beach on Monday.
Also on Monday is the Toronto and York Region Labour Day Parade, which kicks off at 9:30 a.m., with road closures starting even earlier at 7 a.m. until around 2 p.m. Toronto Police are advising residents to expect major traffic diversions and delays in the core as a result.
Road closures for the parade between those hours will be:
A few other road closures are also are bound to clog things up in the coming days:
For those taking the TTC to avoid all of the above messes, you should be aware that 512 St. Clair streetcars are being replaced by shuttle buses starting on Sunday, Sept. 3 until Summer 2024.
Construction on the De Grassi Street bridge will also mean the diversion of the 501 Queen route starting Sunday, September 3. The 503 Kingston Road and 505 Dundas lines will be impacted at later dates.
Further details on all of these matters can be found on the TTC's website. And in more positive public transportation news, GO Transit is ramping up some of its service starting Saturday, September 2.
The City of Toronto has a full, real-time list of hundreds of other road closures and hazards on its website, while transitgoers can check the TTC Service Alerts account for any disruptions. Highway closures and other incidents that may impact your plans can be found via Ontario 511.
Jeremy Gilbert
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