June 15, 2015
The City of Toronto has completed a comprehensive wayfinding strategy for those using all modes of travel, including pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and transit users. As part of this strategy, a pilot project has been launched in the downtown core that will help both residents and visitors find their way around the city.
Wayfinding is more than just street signs. It's an integrated system that includes a wide variety of elements including signs, maps, electronic applications and physical landmarks as a way of helping people navigate around the city.
"The introduction of this pedestrian and transit pilot project will give the city an opportunity to learn about the benefits of wayfinding in terms of enhancing the overall image of the city as a destination and stimulating the local economy," said Councillor Jaye Robinson (Ward 25, Don Valley West), Chair of the City's Public Works and Infrastructure Committee. "We are confident that this pilot project will help us understand how to better identify and connect places, increase the confidence of residents and visitors as they travel, and promote different modes of travel."
The City has partnered with the Financial District BIA, St. Lawrence BIA, Tourism Toronto, Pan Am Host City Showcase program and the Toronto Transit Commission to deliver the pilot pedestrian and transit project.
The City has also developed a vehicle destination signage policy, a cycling wayfinding strategy and a parks wayfinding strategy. City staff will report on the vehicle destination signage policy in late 2015 and there will be a parks wayfinding pilot – including a digital component –implemented in 2016.
Following the evaluation of the pilot project, city staff will report to Council on the pedestrian/cycling wayfinding strategy in early 2016. The latter will include an economic analysis of the program and recommendations on a city-wide rollout for the program.
Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. Toronto is proud to be the Host City for the 2015 Pan American and Parapan American Games. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit
http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us @TorontoComms.
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Media contact: Steve Johnston, Strategic Communications, 416-392-4391, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
