The City Council of Toronto has approved a motion by Mayor Olivia Chow aimed at expediting light rail transit (LRT) and streetcar services throughout the city. This decision comes in response to poor reviews regarding the operational speeds of the recently launched Line 6 Finch West LRT, which has been criticized for its slow service.
The motion, which was seconded by TTC Chair Jamaal Myers, was adopted without amendments on Tuesday. It requires the city to collaborate with Metrolinx and the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) to implement "more aggressive, active transit signal priority" at intersections along surface routes of both the Line 5 Eglinton and Line 6 Finch West. An update on these efforts is expected to be provided in early 2026.
In addition to the LRT improvements, the motion calls for enhancements to the city-wide streetcar services. The City Manager is directed to work alongside the TTC CEO to devise a plan that addresses costs and staffing requirements to "improve streetcar network speed and reliability." This may include adjustments to signal timing, a more aggressive transit signal priority policy, and deploying traffic agents at key intersections to keep streetcars moving unhindered.
The motion also seeks recommendations for measures such as removing on-street parking and restricting left turns during peak periods on essential streetcar routes. Furthermore, the city and TTC are asked to develop and report back on a plan in the first quarter of 2026 to expedite transit signal priority activations at intersections that currently lack the necessary technology.
Slow Finch LRT Times Sparked Backlash
Mayor Chow acknowledged that the newly inaugurated Finch West LRT did not meet expectations regarding service speed. Reports indicated that the full journey of approximately 11 kilometers, containing 18 stops from Finch West Subway Station to Humber College, sometimes took up to one hour.
Chow remarked last Tuesday, "The train is not as fast as it can be, absolutely. I’m hearing the feedback. I rode the train and I know it can be faster." Metrolinx, on its website, claimed that light rail vehicles would take around 33-34 minutes for the complete journey, achieving an average speed of 20 to 21 km/h, with possible top speeds reaching 60 km/h. However, many riders disputed these figures.
Transit rider Nicholas Christou expressed disappointment after riding the new line, stating, "My excitement turned into disappointment when it took 53 minutes to get from Finch West Station to Humber College. It was painfully slow and, at best, felt no different than the Finch bus stuck in traffic." Community organizer Butterfly Gopaul Jane condemned the situation as a setback for the area, highlighting the failure of the public transit system despite billions invested.
City Councillor Josh Matlow voiced his frustrations, labeling it "absurd" that the Finch West LRT often moves slower than the buses it was designed to replace. He cautioned that without implementing full signal priority, the city risks wasting billions on infrastructure that fails to improve transit efficiency.
