Toronto hires traffic czar to combat $56B congestion crisis
Toronto's traffic problems have reached a critical point, costing the city billions each year. In 2024 alone, congestion drained an estimated $56.4 billion from the economy. To tackle the issue, the city has now brought in a dedicated traffic czar, Andrew Posluns, as delays continue to worsen for commuters and businesses alike.
The scale of Toronto's traffic crisis became clearer in 2025 when the city ranked as the second-worst in Canada for congestion. That same year, drivers lost an average of four full days stuck in gridlock. Without intervention, economic losses could nearly double, hitting $108 billion by 2044.
In response, the Toronto Region Board of Trade released a report titled *Breaking Gridlock: Finishing the Job through Provincial Action*. It outlines five key steps the provincial government could take to ease the burden. Meanwhile, the city has already adopted some recommendations from earlier studies, including measures to reduce unnecessary lane closures and improve traffic flow on major routes. The appointment of Posluns as traffic czar signals a more aggressive approach to managing the problem. His role will focus on implementing solutions and coordinating between city and provincial authorities.
With traffic costs rising and delays worsening, Toronto's new measures aim to curb the economic and practical toll of congestion. The city's latest moves—from hiring a traffic czar to adopting policy recommendations—show a push for action. If successful, these efforts could prevent losses from climbing even higher in the coming decades.
