2023 April 14

The City of Toronto will launch this spring’s second pothole repair blitz this Saturday to keep Toronto’s expressways, major roads and neighbourhood streets in a state of good repair.

City crews will work a 12-hour shift, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., to repair as many potholes as possible.

Outside of concentrated repair blitzes, crews continue to perform proactive daily patrols to repair potholes across Toronto. Saturday is forecasted to have favourable weather conditions for a city-wide pothole repair blitz.

Potholes occur when water penetrates the top layer of asphalt through cracks in the road. After the moisture freezes and expands, sections of the pavement are forced up. The weight of vehicles going over this section breaks the pavement, and the asphalt is forced out. Potholes are more frequent in the spring following freeze/thaw cycles during winter.

Residents driving or cycling are advised to expect minor delays around pothole crews. The public is asked to be safe by respecting work zones and giving crews space while they make repairs.

The City has a comprehensive pothole repair program. The City Council-approved budget for pothole repairs in 2023 is $4.6 million. During the City’s first spring blitz on Sunday, April 2, crews repaired 6,353 potholes.

Pothole repair blitz crews are made up of the same City staff who handle road maintenance, snow clearing, street sweeping and other maintenance and roadway safety work.

Potholes can normally be repaired within four days of crews being made aware through proactive patrols and 311 service requests from residents. When there are large numbers of potholes to be repaired, they are triaged based on size and repairs are prioritized on major roads first.

Members of the public can report potholes to 311 via the 311 Toronto mobile app, online at or by calling 3-1-1. Learn more about how the City manages potholes on the City’s Potholes webpage.