- In 2019, drivers picked Eglinton Avenue East in Toronto as the worst road in the province.
- A separate CAA study on the impact poor road conditions have on our vehicles finds Ontarians incur an average of $88 in extra vehicle maintenance costs each year.
- If you have collision or all-perils coverage as part of your auto policy, you can file a claim with your provider for damages to your vehicle from driving over a pothole.
CAA South Central Ontario’s annual tally of the roughest, most pothole-ridden roads in the province in 2021 based on drivers’ feedback bestows the dubious honour of the worst road in Ontario on Victoria Road in Prince Edward County.
CAA's Worst Roads campaign was on pause in 2020 because of the COVID-19 crisis. In 2019, drivers picked Eglinton Avenue East in Toronto as the worst road in the province. Here are CAA’s 10 worst roads in Ontario in 2021:
- Victoria Road, Prince Edward County
- Carling Avenue, Ottawa
- Barton Street East, Hamilton
- County Road 49, Prince Edward County
- Eglinton Avenue East, Toronto
- Hunt Club Road, Ottawa
- Eglinton Avenue West, Toronto
- Innes Road, Ottawa
- Algonquin Boulevard West, Timmins
- Queen Street, Kingston
Eighty-one per cent of drivers who participated in the survey cited potholes, crumbling pavement or asphalt as their primary reason for selecting the road they did, 11% cited traffic congestion, and 7% voted for roads with no or poor walking infrastructure. A separate CAA study on the impact poor road conditions have on our vehicles finds Ontarians incur an average of $88 in extra vehicle maintenance costs each year.
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The top five worst roads in Toronto, the GTA, and Hamilton
CAA’s Worst Roads campaign also provides a breakdown of regional roads with the bumpiest rides. In Toronto, drivers ranked the five worst roads in the city:
- Eglinton Avenue East
- Eglinton Avenue West
- Weston Road
- Dufferin Street
- Bathurst Street
Across the Greater Toronto Area – Durham, Halton, Peel and York regions – drivers say the worst roads are:
- Speers Road, Oakville
- Williams Parkway, Brampton
- Yonge Street, Richmond Hill
- Hurontario Street, Mississauga
- Farewell Street, Oshawa
In Hamilton, drivers identified the top five worst roads in that city being:
- Barton Street East
- Burlington Street East
- Aberdeen Avenue
- Main Street West
- Main Street East and Osler Drive
CAA says its annual Worst Roads campaign has influenced change, resulting in repaving and repair work done to many of the roads that have appeared on Ontario’s Worst Roads list since it first introduced the list in 2003.
"The quality of our roadways affect everyone," says Tina Wong, government relations specialist for CAA South Central Ontario, in a press release. "Our roads are the arteries used every day to keep essential workers, goods and services flowing. They should be maintained now more than ever."
Filing a car insurance claim for pothole damage
If you have collision or all-perils coverage as part of your car insurance policy, you can file a claim with your provider for damages to your vehicle from driving over a pothole. Keep in mind you will need to pay a deductible first, and it may be considered an at-fault collision. At-fault collisions can increase the cost of your premium at renewal time. Depending on the repair, paying for the repair yourself may be the cheapest option.
