Andrew Posluns named Toronto’s traffic czar, but authority will determine results
The city’s new traffic czar, Andrew Posluns, arrives with operational experience. Skepticism is warranted because political and provincial limits could blunt his powers.
Copy link
By Torontoer Staff
Andrew Posluns is Toronto’s new traffic czar, charged with coordinating roads, transit and active transportation across city divisions. The appointment raises clear expectations that a single office can cut through competing priorities and reduce congestion.
Many business and civic leaders have argued for a strong, centralised approach to traffic management. Those advocates hope the role will speed decision-making and deliver visible results. At the same time, public scepticism is understandable: good ideas have repeatedly run into political and bureaucratic limits in this city.
A pragmatic operator, not a monarch
Posluns brings a track record of managing complex traffic operations. He ran traffic and transportation efforts for the province during the 2015 Pan Am Games and oversaw the introduction of highway HOV lanes that remain in place today. Those projects did not produce the predicted chaos, which speaks to his capacity to coordinate multiple agencies and large-scale logistics.
Early media appearances have emphasised his even temperament. As the Star’s Andy Takagi described him, Posluns is "calm" and "soft-spoken." I have known him personally for years and found him approachable and thoughtful. Those qualities suit negotiation and coalition-building, though they do not substitute for formal authority.
Institutional limits will test the role
Toronto’s decision-making culture is fractious. City council remains a full participant in street-level planning, and the civic bureaucracy operates with many procedural checks that slow change. Past efforts to prioritise congestion reduction under a single political figure have had uneven results. Former mayor John Tory positioned himself as an active chief congestion officer, hosting regular interdepartmental meetings to align goals, but persistent problems continued.
Beyond the city, provincial politics shape the range of feasible measures. Some congestion tools that have proven effective elsewhere, such as road pricing, face strong resistance in Ontario at present. That constraint matters because certain high-impact solutions require provincial cooperation or legislation.
Lessons from other cities
Comparisons with other cities are instructive. In New York, Janette Sadik-Khan was given the authority to make rapid changes to street design and traffic management under mayoral backing. That model allowed for large-scale pilots that produced measurable gains and then expanded. Toronto’s governance model does not automatically replicate that concentration of power.
A different approach is still possible: small pilots, tight metrics and clear escalation paths can produce steady wins. If Posluns can demonstrate quick gains on lower-stakes projects, it may build momentum for bolder changes.
What will determine success
- Mayoral support, including direct authority to align city divisions and adjudicate disputes
- Legal and policy flexibility from the province on tools such as pricing or lane management
- A streamlined bureaucracy that allows pilots and iterative implementation without protracted reviews
- Clear, measurable targets and public reporting to show short-term wins and build trust
- Effective communications to explain trade-offs and manage community concerns
"Calm" and "soft-spoken,"
Andy Takagi, Toronto Star
The worst outcome would be a well-paid public official who absorbs blame without the mandate to change outcomes. The better outcome is an operator who uses procedural skill, data-driven pilots and political support to produce steady, visible improvements in travel times and safety.
Early indicators to watch
- Whether the mayor publicly backs his decisions and enforces coordination across departments
- Speed and scale of pilot projects for transit priority lanes, signal timing and curb management
- Engagement with the province on measures that require higher-level approval
- Transparency in performance metrics and timelines for expansion
Scepticism is reasonable. Toronto’s governance and provincial politics narrow the field of available interventions. At the same time, a cautious optimism makes sense if Posluns can show early wins and secure the political backing required to scale them.
The office will not transform the city overnight. Its first months should be judged on concrete pilots and on whether it reduces the usual layers of delay in decision-making. If those early indicators improve, the role may become a practical tool for change rather than a symbolic headline.
transportationtrafficAndrew PoslunsTorontomunicipal policy
