Recommitting to Taking Action on Impaired Driving in Toronto

Impaired driving is preventable, as are the tragic injuries and deaths it causes. In May, City Council unanimously adopted my motion directing City staff to take action on impaired driving in Toronto. My motion asks staff to consult with stakeholders to develop a data-driven prevention strategy, including a public education campaign, and report back by the end of the year with a progress update.

My motion directs City staff to work with key stakeholders such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Canada and Arrive Alive. According to MADD, there is a lack of current and comprehensive national data on the number of Canadians killed or injured in impaired driving collisions annually. Much of the data that is available predates both the COVID-19 pandemic and the legalization of regulated cannabis in Canada, which have impacted trends.

Throughout my tenure as a City Councillor, road safety has remained my top priority. As the former Chair of Public Works and Infrastructure, I spearheaded Toronto's first-ever City-wide Road Safety Plan, Vision Zero. Based on police-reported data from Statistics Canada, impaired driving remains the single most important factor contributing to serious road crashes. According to Toronto Police Services data, those most victimized by impaired driving incidents in 2022 were some of our most vulnerable road users: pedestrians.