Ontario residents can now vote for the worst roads in their neighbourhoods

Ontario residents are now able to cast their votes for Ontario’s “worst road” in the Canadian Automobile Association’s (CAA) annual campaign.

The Worst Roads Campaign sees residents nominate and vote for roads in their communities in notably poor condition. They can vote on issues ranging from congestion, potholes, poor road signs and the timing of traffic lights, according to a release issued by the CAA. Both province-wide and regional results are released.

Teresa Di Felice, the CAA's assistant vice-president of government and community relations, said that, once the results are in, the association works to advocate for the nominated roads to be repaired.

"We highlight the need for fixing the roads with decision makers ... but we also advocate for consistent and regular funding from senior levels of government,” she said.

According to Di Felice, residents' concerns about road quality are not always being communicated to the necessary levels of governments.

“We know that through CAA’s research, almost three quarters of Ontarians are venting about the state of our roads to either their spouses, friends or co-workers and not always to local government officials,” Di Felice said.

Voting will be open until April 19. After voting concludes, the CAA turns over the data to the Canadian Road Builders Association, who evaluates the roads with the most votes and helps provide technical insight into the roads’ flaws, Di Felice said.

“We anticipate that to take a little bit of time and so the plan is to release the list in early June.”

Last year, the title of Ontario’s worst road went to Victoria Road in Prince Edward County, Ont., where residents put forth a significant effort to ensure the road was nominated and won.

Tina Wong, former government relations specialist for CAA SCO and Worst Roads Specialist, told CTV News Toronto in June 2021 that “the people who voted for this road told [her] that their primary concern was potholes and crumbling pavement.”

Wong said residents went as far as to set up "an LED sign" encouraging others to vote. "It spelled out, 'Go to CAA.com and vote for Victoria Road,’" she said.

The public effort saw $75 million of Prince Edward Country’s municipal budget allocated to repairing and rehabilitating more than 75 kilometres of the road.

To view last year’s worst road rankings, click here.