Busy evening expected on Toronto waterfront as city hosts New Year's Eve celebration
Thousands of people are expected to make their way to Toronto’s Harbourfront area Saturday night as the city hosts a New Year’s Eve celebration.
The official festivities, which will include two, 15-minute synchronized fireworks displays, will run from 11:45 p.m. to 12:15 a.m. Sunday.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
While the high-altitude displays can be seen from anywhere that has views of Toronto’s inner harbour, some of the best places to enjoy the shows include Ireland Park, the Toronto Music Garden, HTO Park, HTO Park West, Harbourfront Centre grounds, Harbour Square Park, Sugar Beach Park, and Water’s Edge Promenade. All of these suggested locations are fully accessible.
Toronto police are urging revelers to plan ahead and do their part to ensure the event is safely enjoyed by everyone.
They are reminding people to dress for the weather and plan their ride by either having a designated driver, using public transit, or hiring a ride-share service.
People with young children are also being advised to have a plan in place in case they get separated from them.
Motorists are asked to be patient and factor in a lot of extra time to travel around the downtown area as there will be large crowds and busy streets, police said. The best option is to leave the car at home as a number of road closures will be in effect from 10 p.m. on Dec. 31 to 2 a.m. on Jan. 1.
They include the eastbound lanes of Queens Quay West, between Bathurst and Yonge streets, and the eastbound lanes of Queens Quay East, between Yonge and Lower Sherbourne streets. If needed, police may also close and/or divert cross streets south of Lake Shore Boulevard West.
Several ramps on the Gardiner Expressway will also be off limits starting at 11:30 p.m. tonight until 1 a.m. Sunday. They include the eastbound off ramps at Spadina Avenue and York/Bay streets, and the westbound off ramps at Lakeshore Boulevard/Spadina Avenue and Yonge Street.
Police said drivers can also expect other diversions in the downtown core area with the TTC and Metrolinx’s input.
The latest road closure information will be posted on Toronto Police Operations’ Twitter account at @TPSOperations.
Those unable to attend tonight’s event in person can tune in to an accompanying livestream set to a soundtrack of Canadian and international music artists on the city’s CultureTO YouTube channel.
People should note that the city’s New Year’s Eve event will not be based at Nathan Phillips Square this year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
LIVE UPDATES Luigi Mangione, 26, arrested in connection with CEO shooting
Luigi Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Penn., after he was spotted at a McDonald’s, authorities say. The suspect was born and raised in Maryland and graduated from Ivy League University of Pennsylvania.
Liberals survive third Conservative non-confidence vote
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's latest attempt to topple the minority Liberal government in a non-confidence vote has failed, with the New Democrats and Liberals voting against the motion.
Montreal man retiring early after winning half of the $80 million Lotto-Max jackpot
Factor worker Jean Lamontagne, 63, will retire earlier than planned after he won $40 million on Dec. 3 in the Lotto-Max draw.
Trudeau says dealing with Trump will be 'a little more challenging' than last time
Justin Trudeau says dealing with incoming president Donald Trump and his thundering on trade will be 'a little more challenging' than the last time he was in the White House.
'Infuriating': Wait times grow amid Canada Post strike as backlogs, frustration mount
Wait times for deliveries continue to grow as shoppers and businesses deal with the fallout from the Canada Post strike.
Family spokesman says slain Edmonton security guard had only been working 3 days
A spokesman for the family of a security guard who police say was murdered while patrolling an Edmonton apartment building last week says the man had only been on the job for three days.
Sask. hockey player recovering after near fatal skate accident during game
The Sask East Hockey League (SEHL) has released details of a near fatal accident at one of its games over the weekend – which saw a Churchbridge Imperials player suffer serious injuries after being struck with a skate.
What the upcoming holiday GST relief will mean for consumers
The federal government's GST break will arrive this Saturday, just in time for the last stretch of holiday shopping.
Gang leader in Haiti accused of massacring older people to avenge son's death
A gang leader who controls a key port in Haiti's capital is accused of massacring older people and Vodou religious leaders in his community to avenge his son's death, according to the government and human rights organizations that estimate more than 100 killed.