A living East Toronto disruption guide

The East End Construction Survival Guide

Ontario Line work, road closures and TTC changes—translated into the details that matter before you leave home.

Published July 16, 2026

Last fully checked July 16, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. ET · Most recent source check August 3, 2026Review due

Construction notices are written project by project. Neighbourhood trips are not.

A lane closure on Queen can affect a school drop-off on Dundas. Work at Pape Station can change a trip from Leslieville. A sidewalk closure can matter more than the construction itself when you are pushing a stroller, using a mobility device or walking with a child.

This guide puts the major disruptions affecting Riverside, Leslieville, Gerrard and Pape in one place—and tells you what has actually changed.

What this guide covers

Broadview Avenue and the Don River in the west; Coxwell Avenue in the east; Eastern Avenue and Queen Street East in the south; and Gerrard Street, Pape Avenue and Cosburn Avenue in the north. Projects outside that boundary appear only when they materially affect east-end travel.

East End construction at a glance

Latest source review: August 3, 2026 · Full guide review due

Active disruptions
4
Needing review
1
Confirmed TTC changes
2
Confirmed sidewalk changes
2

Most important before you leave

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Choose one filter at a time. Clear it to return to the full current list.

Impact
Area
Travel mode
Status

Showing 6 of 6 current disruptions

Current disruptions

Status comes from the linked official source. Monitoring means a project exists, but the current source does not support a more specific active travel claim.

Active:
supported by a current official notice.
Monitoring:
the project exists, but a current specific travel impact is not confirmed.
Needs review:
our last check of the official source is more than seven days old — not a confirmed closure or danger.
1ActiveMajor impact

Queen loses a westbound lane near De Grassi

Queen Street East at De Grassi Street

Area
Riverside
Affected
Walking, Cycling, Transit, Driving, Accessibility
Start date
June 26, 2026
End date
Not stated in the current official notice
Work schedule
Long-term street arrangement beginning June 26.

What is happening

Metrolinx expanded the Ontario Line work site beside Queen and De Grassi.

What it changes

  • Queen is reduced to one westbound lane beside the site.
  • A temporary sidewalk carries pedestrians past the work zone.
  • Parking is restricted on the east side of De Grassi beside the site.

What to know before leaving

Businesses remain open. The notice anticipates no impact to transit service, but check TTC advisories before an important trip.

Read Metrolinx work-site expansion notice

Official source checked August 3, 2026. Source dated June 2026. Rechecked August 3: the June 22 work-site expansion is still the current listing on the Metrolinx notice index. No material change.

2ActiveMajor impact

Pape is reduced to one lane each way near Cosburn

Pape Avenue between Gamble and Gowan avenues

Area
Pape and Cosburn
Affected
Walking, Cycling, Transit, Driving, Accessibility
Start date
June 22, 2026
End date
As early as April 22, 2027
Work schedule
Weekdays with extended hours; weekend work may occur.

What is happening

Support-of-excavation work for Cosburn Station is occupying part of Pape Avenue.

What it changes

  • One lane remains open in each direction.
  • Turns are restricted around Pape and Cosburn.
  • The west sidewalk on Pape and north sidewalk on Cosburn are closed beside the work zone.
  • A southbound TTC stop is relocated north of Gamble.

What to know before leaving

Expect a tighter crossing and slower turns. Cyclists share the reduced roadway; follow posted signs and traffic-control staff. Metrolinx also listed a July 31 overnight-construction notice for Cosburn Avenue — if noise or a night trip matters to you, check the notice index for the details.

Read Metrolinx Pape Avenue lane-reduction notice

Official source checked August 3, 2026. Source dated May 26, 2026. Rechecked August 3: the lane reduction remains the current listing. Added a pointer to a new July 31 Metrolinx notice for overnight construction on Cosburn Avenue.

3ActiveMajor impactNeeds review — last source check is over 7 days old

Eastern and Adelaide bridge work narrows east–west routes

Eastern Avenue, Adelaide Street East and the Don River bridges

Area
Don River and Eastern Avenue
Affected
Walking, Cycling, Transit, Driving, Accessibility
Start date
Early July 2026
End date
Fall 2026 for the current stage
Work schedule
Stage 5 includes intermittent overnight and full closures when required.

What is happening

The City is rehabilitating bridges and elevated road structures at the west edge of the east end.

What it changes

  • Lane closures affect Eastern and Adelaide.
  • Some overnight or full closures and ramp restrictions may be required.
  • The work can affect Lower Don trail access and movement around Underpass Park.

What to know before leaving

This project sits just outside the guide boundary but materially affects trips between downtown and the east end. Check the City notice for the current stage.

Read City of Toronto Stage 5 construction notice

Official source checked July 16, 2026. Source dated June 2026. August 3 check attempted: the Stage 5 notice PDF could not be reopened in this review, so the July 16 verification stands and the item is flagged for review.

4ActiveModerate impact

Riverside–Leslieville station preparation continues

Queen Street East and the rail corridor near De Grassi

Area
Leslieville
Affected
Walking, Cycling, Transit, Driving, Accessibility
Start date
Not stated in the current official notice
End date
Not stated in the current official notice
Work schedule
Timing varies by activity; equipment and deliveries may increase near the rail corridor.

What is happening

Site-preparation and early station work continue around the future Riverside–Leslieville station.

What it changes

  • Nearby residents may notice construction equipment, deliveries, noise or vibration.
  • Signed pedestrian adjustments may be introduced as work areas change.

What to know before leaving

Metrolinx plans to maintain streetcar service through construction. Temporary reroutes or service reductions can still occur, so check current TTC advisories.

Read Metrolinx Leslieville Station page and notices

Official source checked August 3, 2026. Rechecked August 3: the station page still lists ongoing preparatory construction and plans to keep streetcar service running. No material change.

5MonitoringModerate impact

Gerrard Station work needs a current impact notice

Gerrard Street East at Carlaw Avenue

Area
Gerrard and Carlaw
Affected
Walking, Cycling, Transit, Driving, Accessibility
Start date
Not stated in the current official notice
End date
Not stated in the current official notice

What is happening

The future Gerrard Station site remains an active Ontario Line work area, including work near the rail corridor and Gerrard–Carlaw Parkette.

What it changes

  • Construction activity may affect nearby public space or travel when a current notice is issued.

What to know before leaving

The Metrolinx notice index now lists excavation work at the Gerrard tunnel portal starting July 13, but we could not open the notice itself to confirm a specific street or sidewalk impact. This stays a monitoring item until that is confirmed — check the notice index before travelling.

Read Metrolinx Gerrard Station page

Official source checked August 3, 2026. Rechecked August 3: noted a new July 13 Metrolinx listing for excavation at the Gerrard tunnel portal. Remains monitoring because the notice details could not be opened.

6MonitoringModerate impact

Confirm Pape Station boarding locations before travelling

Pape Station and nearby on-street stops

Area
Pape and Cosburn
Affected
Transit, Walking, Accessibility
Start date
Not stated in the current official notice
End date
Not stated in the current official notice

What is happening

The TTC station page still says the bus terminal is closed "until late 2025" for Ontario Line construction — a date that has already passed — and its route list conflicts with newer TTC service-change listings.

What it changes

  • Boarding locations and routes serving the station area may change as construction proceeds.
  • The station page lists 72A and 72C as the only routes serving the station on-street, with 25 and 925 relocated to Broadview Station, but that information carries an outdated date.

What to know before leaving

Do not rely on the station page’s route list or its "late 2025" reopening date. Check live TTC service advisories immediately before travelling.

Read TTC Pape Station information

Official source checked August 3, 2026. Rechecked August 3: the TTC station page still shows a "late 2025" terminal reopening date that has passed. Wording updated to flag the outdated date explicitly.

Disruptions by area

Queen and Riverside

Queen and De Grassi carry the most visible street-level changes around the future Riverside–Leslieville station.

2 listed items

Leslieville and Gerrard

Gerrard and Carlaw are worth checking before a trip even when a current notice has not yet established a specific closure.

2 listed items

Pape and Cosburn

Pape combines station construction, reduced road space and changing TTC boarding arrangements.

2 listed items

Don River and Eastern Avenue

Bridge work at the Don can affect trips entering or leaving the east end by road, bike or trail.

1 listed item

Recently changed

Completed diversions stay here for context instead of quietly disappearing.

Recently changedJune 21, 2026

72 Pape returned to regular southbound routing

Southbound 72 Pape service returned to its regular routing through Pape, Riverdale and Carlaw.

This is retained as a recent change so an older saved route does not look current. Check TTC advisories for any newer diversion.

Read the current TTC notice

Why the crossing campaign belongs here

Construction changes routes. Missing crossings make the detours harder.

Construction does more than slow traffic. It changes which sidewalks people use, where buses stop, how families reach school and which streets feel like the practical way home.

Those changes make dependable neighbourhood crossings more important. Between Jones and Pape, Dundas Street East still has an approximately 400-metre gap without a protected crossing. When familiar routes are disrupted, that missing connection becomes harder to ignore.

Support a protected crossing at Dundas and DagmarSee the crossing data

Check the official source

These are the primary first-party sources used to maintain this guide. Their current notices take precedence over our summary.

Metrolinx Ontario Line noticesOpen official sourceTTC service advisoriesOpen official sourceTTC planned service changesOpen official sourceCity of Toronto road restrictionsOpen official sourceT.O.INview infrastructure mapOpen official sourceWard 14 construction noticesOpen official source

Frequently asked questions

Where is Ontario Line construction affecting Leslieville?

The most visible current change is near Queen Street East and De Grassi Street, where the Riverside–Leslieville work site occupies road and sidewalk space. Ontario Line work also continues around Gerrard and Carlaw and north on Pape.

Is Queen Street East closed at De Grassi Street?

No. The current Metrolinx notice shows Queen open with a long-term westbound lane closure beside the work site and a temporary sidewalk arrangement. Check the official notice before an important trip.

Is Pape Station’s bus terminal open?

The TTC station page contains construction information, but some route details conflict with newer service listings. This guide treats the terminal and boarding arrangement as a monitoring item: check the current Pape Station page and TTC service advisories before travelling.

Is the 501 Queen streetcar still running through Leslieville?

Metrolinx plans to maintain streetcar service through Riverside–Leslieville construction, but temporary reroutes or reductions may occur. Check the current TTC service-advisory page before travelling.

Where can I check current Toronto road closures?

Use the City of Toronto road-restrictions page for current restrictions and T.O.INview for planned infrastructure work. Both are linked below.

How often is this guide updated?

We check official sources regularly and update when a notice materially changes. Every disruption shows the date it was last verified; an active item older than seven days is marked Needs review.

Is this a real-time construction map?

No. It is an independently maintained neighbourhood guide based on regularly checked official notices. Conditions can change between updates.

How do I report incorrect or outdated information?

Use the correction email in the methodology section. Include the disruption name and, when possible, a link to the newer official notice.

How we maintain this guide

We check Metrolinx, TTC and City of Toronto notices and translate their practical impacts into plain language. An item is marked active only when a current official source supports that status. When an end date has passed without a new notice, we review the item rather than assuming the work is finished.

  • This guide is independently maintained by DundasEast.ca.
  • DundasEast.ca is not affiliated with Metrolinx, the TTC or the City of Toronto.
  • Official notices take precedence, and conditions can change between updates.
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