Strong Approval For Yonge Street Renewal

| Filed under: Toronto

Strong Approval For Yonge Street Renewal

Drivers less enthusiastic than cyclists, pedestrians

In a random sampling of public opinion taken by the Forum Poll™ among 868 Toronto voters, the clear majority, about two thirds, approve of the plan to renew Yonge Street from Queen Street north to Davenport Road (64%). It is explained the renewal will involve widened sidewalks, planters and reduction of Yonge Street to two lanes. Just more than a quarter disapprove of the plan (28%), and one tenth don’t share an opinion (9%).

Enthusiasm for the project is common to all demographic groups across the city with the exception of those who voted for Doug Ford (44%), those who commute by car (55%) and those in Etobicoke (53%). Enthusiasm is high in the old city of Toronto, within whose boundaries the renewal will take place (70%), as well as among the least wealthy (79%), in the old city of York (77%), cyclists (84%), walkers (77%) and those who take transit (74%) and, finally, those who voted Olivia Chow in the last mayoral election (81%).

“This is obviously more than an urban renewal project, it is a skirmish in the ongoing war between the car and cyclists and pedestrians. Drivers don’t like it, nor do those who campaigned for motorists' rights in the last election” said Forum Research President, Dr. Lorne Bozinoff.

Lorne Bozinoff, Ph.D. is the president and founder of Forum Research. He can be reached at lbozinoff@forumresearch.com or at (416) 960-9603.