Willowdale to Receive Half of Toronto’s New Smart Signals in 2026

This week, I requested a briefing on the rollout of the Smart Signal program for 2026. I was happy to learn the Willowdale area will see a major share of the City of Toronto’s Smart Traffic Signal rollout, with about 25 intersections targeted, fully half of the city’s planned 50 new installations for 2026. That means Willowdale alone will receive 50% of all new smart signals, a significant concentration compared to the roughly 200 smart signals already deployed citywide by the end of 2025. Most of these upgrades will focus on the Yonge Street corridor between Highway 401 and Steeles Avenue, Doris and Beecroft, as well as select intersections on Steeles Avenue East.

The Yonge corridor was prioritized due to its heavy north-south demand, multiple lanes that allow flexible signal strategies, and strong potential for travel time improvements. The result is a system designed to move more people efficiently while reducing the need for manual intervention and freeing up city resources.