FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Toronto, ON — Toronto is full of people trying to fix traffic, cut red tape, and make daily life work better. The problem is not a lack of ideas. It is a City Hall that keeps saying no.
ABC Toronto is calling out the City of Toronto and Mayor Olivia Chow for failing to create an environment where startups, entrepreneurs, and community problem-solvers can actually test their solutions. Instead of supporting innovation, the city buries it in slow approvals, outdated bylaws, and risk-averse bureaucracy.
Toronto should be a North American leader in urban problem-solving. Instead, we are becoming a case study in how to stall progress.
ABC Toronto is demanding the launch of a city-wide regulatory sandbox framework, a practical system that allows the temporary relaxation of specific bylaws in defined areas so new ideas can be tested safely under city supervision with real-world data.
This is not radical. It is responsible governance.
Toronto has already used a limited sandbox at Exhibition Place to test automated snow-clearing and delivery robots. City Hall attempted innovation in a very limited way, but we believe the concept must be expanded. Meanwhile, congestion is worse. Small businesses are drowning in red tape. Basic city services feel stuck in the past.
A real regulatory sandbox would let Toronto start acting like a modern city. It could mean:
• AI-powered traffic signals that actually reduce gridlock
• Flexible lane use to support deliveries at night and commuters during rush hour
• Smart parking systems that adapt to demand instead of relying on static signs
• Streamlined pilot licensing so small businesses and street vendors can operate legally while new rules are tested
Right now, the city’s approach is blunt and outdated. Ban new ideas or roll them out everywhere with no trial period. That mindset protects bureaucracy, not residents. A sandbox flips the script. Test first. Measure results. Then make smart policy.
This would send a clear message that Toronto backs the people trying to improve it. That we are open to new solutions. That City Hall works for doers, not just gatekeepers.
It needs leadership that says yes to trying, yes to testing, and yes to progress.
Let Toronto’s innovators prove what works.
Supporter Quotes
“Toronto has no shortage of innovators who are ready, willing, and able to bring solutions that will solve problems facing the city, and make life better for its residents. Build Canada believes that an innovation sandbox will bring the progress that Toronto needs to meet the next generation.” – Dan Debow, Chair, Build Canada
“I work with entrepreneurs every day who are working to address the big issues facing our city, our country, and the world. Providing them with an innovation sandbox will unleash their creativity, and put Toronto on the map as a hub for new ventures that are supported by our city’s leaders.” – Joe Canavan, YPO Gold Toronto
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For media requests, please get in touch with Kelly Aizicowitz
Email: kaizicowitz@abctoronto.org
Phone: 416-274-1463
About ABC Toronto:
ABC Toronto is a not-for-profit organization of concerned citizens who believe Toronto must become a highly livable city that is the envy of the world.
The City of Toronto is Canada’s economic engine. Our success helps Canada succeed. ABC Toronto advocates for practical solutions to the issues that are holding our city back from its potential, such as congestion, community safety, affordability, and competitiveness.
By working together, we can make Toronto a place where you can afford to raise a family, with new infrastructure, excellent public services, and an honest and transparent government. Learn more: www.abctoronto.org.