Canada
Toronto
UMR Index Rank
#28
(-2)
Score: 57%
Sustainable Mobility
#28
(-2)
Score: 56.2%
Public Transit
#39
(-1)
Score: 47.5%
Technology Adoption
#35
Score: 42.9%
| Population | 5.5 million |
| Surface area (km2) | 1,072 |
| Population-density (people/km2) | 5,144 |
| GDP per capita ($) | 36,408 |
UMR Index Rank
#28
(-2)
Score: 57%
Sustainable Mobility
#28
(-2)
Score: 56.2%
Public Transit
#39
(-1)
Score: 47.5%
Technology Adoption
#35
Score: 42.9%
What Toronto Does Well In Urban Mobility
Toronto has high-quality road infrastructure that is extensive, interconnected, and relatively safe. The Province of Ontario is investing approximately CA$190 billion ($140 billion) into infrastructure projects, including improvements to roads and bridges in Toronto, interchanges on expressways, and collection lanes. Traffic management includes coordinated traffic lights at arterial roads and a congestion management strategy, among other features.
Toronto has a multimodal transit system that offers a variety of public transit options, including buses, metros, trains, streetcars, and ferries. The city has more diversity in transit modes than its Canadian peers Montreal and Vancouver. Toronto also has been expanding its car-free streets program and pedestrian-only zones, including making a section of King Street, a popular nightlife area, pedestrian-only from Thursdays to Sundays as a pilot in July 2024.
Urban Mobility Readiness Index, Sustainable Mobility, Public Transit, and Technology Adoption scores
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley
Challenges And Opportunities For Toronto’s Transportation System
Toronto does not have a thriving active mobility sector, with challenges stemming partly from the harsh winter climate and exacerbated by limited walking and cycling infrastructure. Toronto adopted a new plan in June 2024 that would connect the gaps in the existing cycle network, improve quality of existing lanes, and expand cycling infrastructure to new areas of the city. The city is also investing in walkways, including plans for a new pedestrian bridge to connect the mainland to Villiers Island, a former industrial area along the lakefront undergoing redevelopment.
Despite a small increase in year-on-year sales, Toronto lags behind Montreal and Vancouver in electric vehicle (EV) market share in sales. Still, Toronto aims to have EVs account for 30% of registrations by 2030. As of 2024 the Canadian federal government provided up to CA$5,000 ($3,600) as a subsidy for the purchase or lease of both EVs and long-range hybrids, which have an electric range of 50 kilometers (31 miles) or more.
Dimensions of the Urban Mobility Readiness Index score
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley
How Toronto Can Improve Its Urban Mobility Performance
Toronto can encourage EV sales by expanding federal government subsidies. It can provide greater incentives for EVs over hybrids, including more non-monetary incentives like special access lanes. Charging network density is also an issue. In 2024, Toronto conducted a study on long-term public charging needs. Toronto can now move more quickly, using the findings to guide investments. The city can also expand the existing rebates offered and widen its low-interest loan initiatives to encourage more charging installation from private individuals and companies.
Like in many North American cities, many of Toronto’s residents prefer to use cars as their mode of transport, with one of the highest average commute times in North America. To encourage public transit ridership, the city can add routes and stops for buses and streetcars to help connect residents with subway stations. This is a cost-effective improvement that can lower walking distances and overall commute times. Extending rail and subway lines will be key to building out the public transit offering, but that will be time-intensive and expensive. The opening of another east-west subway line, the Eglinton Line, in 2026 can improve commutes for many residents. Investing in a dedicated app that can seamlessly integrate the multimodal public transit system can further help the city boost ridership.
Urban Mobility Readiness Index relative ranking evolution (2020-2024)
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley