The City of Toronto has launched its third pothole repair this year as crews work to address extensive road damage, according to Mayor Olivia Chow.
“It’s been a brutal winter, and so far this year we’ve patched 75,000 potholes,” Chow said at a press conference Saturday.
He said the city has increased its road repair budget by 34 percent compared to 2022, with $6.2 million now allocated for pothole repairs.
“We patched 44 percent more potholes from 2022 because we spent more money,” Chow said.
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Despite increased funding, Chow noted that crews face challenges due to inconsistent weather conditions.
“Right now, it’s completely unstable. The temperature is -5 [C] one day and then 10 degrees,” he said, adding that crews were limited in February due to conditions.
The city says crews not only patch potholes but also reshape and prepare road surfaces to improve long-term durability.
“Just fixing the potholes is not enough,” Chow said. “We will accelerate pothole repairs as the weather stabilizes.”
Residents are being urged to report potholes, as the use of artificial intelligence (AI) expands to identify and prioritize repairs.
“We have accelerated our AI program through 311 detection and identification [potholes] so we can send crews,” Chow said.
The city also did this in 2025, after a harsh winter created poor driving conditions and potholed roads, although this year’s boom remains one of the largest ever.
— with files from Lexy Benedict of Global News
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