Toronto · intersection

Balsam & Pine

Balsam Ave & Pine Ave · Toronto, Ontario · The Beaches · Ward 19, Beaches-East York

Balsam & Pine sits in The Beaches. At the City's last count here, in 2001, it was a low-volume local intersection. At the corner: a school within 250 m. Nearby: 7 TTC routes within a kilometre. No one has been killed or seriously injured here in the last ten years of records.

Traffic
1,219
vehicles · 8-hour count, Mar 28, 2001
328 pedestrians · 12 cyclists
Collisions
5
police-reported · 2016–2025
none killed or seriously injured
Getting there
0
TTC stops within 100 m
7 routes within 1 km
Within a walk
34/100
city median 48
63 places to eat within 1 km · grocery 731 m

Map

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Balsam & Pine

Traffic and safety

The City's latest turning-movement count, every police-reported collision within 65 m, speeds on these streets

Traffic volume8-hour count · Mar 28, 2001

Traffic is heaviest from the south: 370 northbound vehicles entered from that leg, 30% of the total, against 259 from the west. Unusually, the morning peak is the heavier one — 258 vehicles in the hour from 8:15 a.m., 40% above the afternoon peak from 4:15 p.m. (184). Heavy vehicles made up 3.9% of traffic (typical: 3.2%). For scale, a typical counted intersection in Toronto sees 16,177 vehicles over 14 hours. The count is 26 years old — treat it as a snapshot of 2001, not today's volume. It was an 8-hour count, which is not directly comparable with the 14-hour counts the City has used since September 2023.

From the north289southbound · 2 bikes · 3.1% heavy
From the west259eastbound · 4 bikes · 1.2% heavy
Total vehicles1,219328 pedestrians · 12 cyclists · 3.9% heavy
From the east301westbound · 6 bikes · 3.7% heavy
From the south370northbound · 0 bikes · 6.5% heavy

Peak hours: 258 vehicles in the hour from 8:15 a.m. and 184 from 4:15 p.m. (approach figures are vehicles entering from that leg over the whole count — one day's traffic, not an annual average).

Collisions 2016–2025 · within 65 m

The peak year was 2025, the most recent in the window, with 2 collisions. 0 collisions (0%) involved an injury. 1 driver failed to remain at the scene — 20% of collisions. None of the collisions in the window involved a pedestrian or cyclist. The most recent report on file is from Dec 20, 2025.

No collision involving a death or serious injury has been recorded within 65 m of this intersection since the record begins in 2006.

2016–2025Collisions
All reported collisions5
With an injury0
Property damage only4
Fail to remain1
Involving a pedestrian0
Involving a cyclist0
Severity not classified1
Killed or seriously injured0
All KSI since 20060

A collision counts when its recorded location is within 65 m of the centreline node, intersection-related or not. KSI = killed or seriously injured, the basis of the danger rankings; records can lag a year or more, so the current year is outside the window. How collisions are counted.

Speeds here, last measured in 2022

On Balsam Ave between Sarah McComb Lane and Sycamore Pl, 264 m from the corner, a 7-day count in June 2022 put the average speed at 28 km/h and the 85th-percentile speed at 36 km/h, with the fastest one in twenty at 43 km/h or more. That segment carries about 1,200 vehicles a day. The reading is 4 years old; the City counts on request rather than on a schedule. Pine Ave between Lane E of Beech and S of Pine Ave and Willow Ave measured slower: 29 km/h on average and an 85th percentile of 34 km/h (Sep 2006). 4 speed humps slow traffic on Balsam Avenue between Pine Ave and Beech Ave.

Street segmentCountedVehicles / dayAverage85th percentile95th
Balsam Ave · Sarah McComb Lane – Sycamore Pl · 264 mJun 2022 · 7 days1,21028 km/h36 km/h43 km/h
Pine Ave · Lane E of Beech and S of Pine Ave – Willow Ave · 281 mSep 2006 · 2 days87129 km/h34 km/h37 km/h
Traffic calming
Balsam Avenue (Pine Ave – Beech Ave): 4 speed humps

Midblock counts are automatic counters laid across the road for one to seven days; 85% of drivers were at or below the 85th-percentile speed. A reading is not the speed through the intersection itself, and posted limits are not in the count data. How speeds are read.

Getting there

Transit within 1 km, cycling at the corner, and where to park

Transit and cycling

Streetcar
503 501 nearest 545 m · 6 min
TTC bus
64 404 12 nearest 510 m · 6 min
Blue Night
301 322
Nearest stops
no surface stop within 300 m
Cycling
no bikeway on the City cycling network touches this intersection
Bike Share
Queen St. E / Spruce Hill Rd. 500 m · 6 min · 15 docks · 5 stations, 107 docks within 1 km

Straight-line distances to the nearest stop or station entrance in each agency's current schedule feed, including temporary diversions.

Parking within 2 km

Green P
6 car parks · about 253 spaces
EV charging
912 Kingston Road · 584 m · 2 Level 2 ports; also 2150 Queen Street East (600 m), 117 Hammersmith Ave (761 m)
Bike parking
none recorded nearby
Other lots
5 mapped lots within 500 m, 177 within 2 km — private, commercial or institutional, and often for customers or residents only
Green P car parkDistanceSpacesPeak occupancy
117 Hammersmith Ave · Surface771 m2947% (Q1 2026)
136 Wineva Ave. · Surface855 m28 *—
85 Lee Ave · Surface1.1 km6861% (Q1 2026)
197 Blantyre Ave · Surface1.3 km8329% (Q1 2026)
166 Woodbine Ave · Surface1.8 km2146% (Q1 2026)

Green P spaces and average daily peak occupancy from the Toronto Parking Authority's quarterly dataset (* = capacity from the 2019 car-park list; check Green P for rates). EV chargers are City-operated only. On-street and underground parking are not included.

Within a walk

What the City's own records put within a walk of this corner — distances are the walk along real streets and paths. Shops, banks, gyms and clinics are in no City dataset, so they are not here.

Food, shops and services

No grocery store is within 300 m of the corner. The closest is Sandy's Independent Grocery, 731 m away. No restaurant or café sits within 300 m of the corner; 63 eating places are within a kilometre. The nearest is La Diperie, 422 m away. The nearest pharmacy is Beech Medical Pharmacy, 568 m away; 4 pharmacies are within a kilometre. No hospital site is within a 2 km walk.

Restaurants & cafés
  • La Diperie · 2196 Queen St E422 m · 5 min
  • The Druid Bar · 2192 Queen St E434 m · 5 min
  • Judy's Beach Cafe · 2188 Queen St E442 m · 5 min
  • Bad Egg and Juice To Go · 2214 Queen St E510 m · 6 min
  • Game Night Wings and Sports Bar · 2214 Queen St E511 m · 6 min
0 within 300 m · 63 within 1 km
Grocery
Sandy's Independent Grocery 731 m · 9 min · 4 within 1 km
Food shops
Fearless Meat 583 m · 7 min · butcher, bakery or food shop
Pharmacy
Beech Medical Pharmacy 568 m · 7 min · 4 within 1 km
Child care
  • Balmy Beach Community Day Care Centre · 171 spaces, preschool, kindergarten, school age · fee subsidy · $10-a-day154 m
  • Mackie Sunshine Childcare Inc. - St. Denis Sunshine · 30 spaces, school age367 m · 4 min
  • Alphabet Station · 54 spaces, infant, toddler, preschool · $10-a-day449 m · 5 min
11 licensed centres · 859 spaces within 1 km · 4 accept City fee subsidy
Washrooms
  • Beaches Recreation Centre Washroom · hours not listed708 m · 8 min
  • Adam Beck Community Centre Washroom · Mon 2:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.; Tue 2:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.; Wed 2:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.; Thu 2:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.; Fri 2:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.; Sat 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; Sun Closed935 m · 11 min

Food premises Toronto Public Health has inspected since November 2023, screened by name and location to leave out the kitchens inside care homes, child care, schools and offices, and carts and stalls; a shop without a recent inspection does not appear. Pharmacies, hospital sites and care homes from the Ontario Ministry of Health's register — a hospital site may be a rehabilitation or specialty hospital without an emergency department; in an emergency call 911. How places are classed.

Parks, schools and places

Parks (6)
  • Glen Stewart Park413 m · 5 min
  • Ivan Forrest Gardens686 m · 8 min
  • Neville Park Blvd Ravine836 m · 10 min
  • Balmy Beach Park873 m · 10 min
  • Bob Acton Park1.3 km · 16 min
and 1 more within 1.5 km
Community centres
Schools (15)
  • Balmy Beach Community SchoolEnglish Public · 154 m
  • St Denis Catholic Elementary SchoolEnglish Separate · 367 m · 4 min
  • Williamson Road Jr Public SchoolEnglish Public · 620 m · 7 min
  • Beaches MontessoriPrivate · 691 m · 8 min
  • Glen Ames Sr Public SchoolEnglish Public · 701 m · 8 min
and 10 more within 1.5 km
Library
  • Toronto Public Library Beaches branch1.2 km · 14 min
Places of interest
  • Balmy Beach ParkNature/ Park · 1.1 km · 13 min
  • Kew Gardens ParkNature/ Park · 1.4 km · 17 min

Parks, schools, libraries and places of interest within 1.5 km; child care, washrooms and care homes within 1 km; a hospital site within 2 km. Distances are the walk along real streets and paths. How these are joined.

Not within a walk: a care or retirement home.

34of 100
Scored from the records above

The median Toronto intersection scores 48. It counts what can be reached, not how pleasant or safe the walk is.

  • Groceries and food9/30

    4 grocery stores within 1 km · 63 within 1 km

  • Transit4/28

    7 routes within 1 km

  • Library and places to go3/14

    library 1.2 km away · 2 places of interest within 1.5 km

  • Parks and recreation8/10

    1 park within 500 m · 1 community centre within 800 m

  • Schools and child care8/8

    2 schools within 500 m · 3 licensed child care within 500 m

  • Crossing on foot2/10

    traffic calming

Our own measure, not a licensed walkability rating: every point comes from a City dataset listed under Sources, and the six parts add up to the score. How the score is built · the full ranking.

Apartment buildings nearby

RentSafeTO-registered rental buildings within 1 km, with the City's latest evaluation score

Within a kilometre there are 30 RentSafeTO-registered apartment buildings — 723 rental units, 2.0× the median for a Toronto intersection — two social or Toronto Community Housing. The nearest is 59 Balsam Ave (399 m, 19 units, 3 storeys, built 1927), which scored 87 out of 100 at its September 2024 RentSafeTO evaluation. None scored below 70; the average is 89, about the citywide norm.

Nearest buildingsUnitsStoreysBuiltScoreDistance
59 Balsam Ave193192787 · Sep 2024399 m · 5 min
2218 Queen St E163190592 · Nov 2025523 m · 6 min
2178 Queen St E · Ashbridges Property Management213196594 · Nov 2025524 m · 6 min
109 Beech Ave · Colloredo-Mansfeld183197177 · Jul 2024536 m · 6 min
2363 Queen St E social housing · Neighbours Community Homes204194091 · Jul 2026548 m · 7 min
2327 Queen St E · Westwood Holdings Inc.273192097 · Aug 2026553 m · 7 min

30 registered buildings · 723 units · 2 social housing · tallest 7 storeys. The score is the City's RentSafeTO evaluation out of 100; buildings of three or more storeys and ten or more units are registered, condominiums and houses are not. Each building links to its full record on LandlordReport.

Thefts reported at this corner

Thefts from vehicles and bicycle thefts that Toronto Police have offset to this intersection, 2016–2025

One theft from a vehicle and one bike theft were reported around this corner in 2016–2025.

2016–2025Reported2023–2025Since Jan 2026Most often from
Theft from a vehicle100house driveway/garage (1)
Bicycle theft100house driveway/garage (1)

Police offset every occurrence to the nearest intersection before publishing, so these are thefts on the streets and premises around this node, not necessarily at the corner itself. Other offences are published by neighbourhood only — see The Beaches.

Nearby intersections

Questions

Is Balsam & Pine a dangerous intersection?

Not by the record: no one was killed or seriously injured here in 2016–2025, though police reported 5 lesser collisions. High counts usually track high traffic volume rather than a design flaw; volume is shown alongside so the numbers can be read in context.

How busy is Balsam & Pine?

A low-volume local intersection at the City's last count here, in 2001. Its latest count is from Mar 28, 2001, 13% of today's median for a counted intersection.

Is Balsam & Pine a walkable intersection?

Balsam & Pine scores 34 out of 100 on this site's within-a-walk measure; the city median is 48. It counts what the City's own records put within a walk — food premises, transit, libraries, parks, schools, licensed child care — not shops, banks or clinics, which no City dataset lists. Within a walk: 2 schools within 500 m · 3 licensed child care within 500 m; 1 park within 500 m · 1 community centre within 800 m; 4 grocery stores within 1 km · 63 within 1 km. The crossing itself: traffic calming.

How fast do cars go at Balsam & Pine?

The City's most recent speed count near the corner, on Balsam Ave between Sarah McComb Lane and Sycamore Pl (June 2022), found an average of 28 km/h and an 85th-percentile speed of 36 km/h — meaning 85% of drivers were at or below that speed.

Where can I park near Balsam & Pine?

The nearest Green P car park is 117 Hammersmith Ave (771 m away, 29 spaces, 47% full at the daily peak in Q1 2026). The City's mapping shows 177 parking lots of any kind within 2 km — roughly 6,270 spaces — 5 of them within 500 m; most are private or customer-only lots. The nearest City EV charger is at 912 Kingston Road (584 m).

How do I get to Balsam & Pine by transit?

Streetcar routes 503, 501 stop within 1 km, the nearest 545 m away; bus routes 64, 404, 12 within 1 km.

What restaurants are near Balsam & Pine?

None within 300 m, and 63 within a kilometre, counting the premises Toronto Public Health has inspected since November 2023. The closest are La Diperie (422 m), The Druid Bar (434 m), Judy's Beach Cafe (442 m), Bad Egg and Juice To Go (510 m) and Game Night Wings and Sports Bar (511 m). DineSafe does not record cuisine or opening hours.

Is there a public washroom near Balsam & Pine?

The nearest is Beaches Recreation Centre Washroom, 6 Williamson Rd, 708 m away. Next nearest: Adam Beck Community Centre Washroom (935 m).

Is there child care near Balsam & Pine?

11 licensed child care centres within 1 km, with 859 spaces in total; 4 accept City fee subsidy and some are in the $10-a-day (CWELCC) program. The nearest are Balmy Beach Community Day Care Centre (154 m, 171 spaces), Mackie Sunshine Childcare Inc. - St. Denis Sunshine (367 m, 30 spaces) and Alphabet Station (449 m, 54 spaces). Spaces are licensed capacity, not vacancies.

What apartment buildings are near Balsam & Pine?

30 RentSafeTO-registered apartment buildings with 723 rental units are within 1 km. The nearest are 59 Balsam Ave (399 m, 19 units, RentSafeTO score 87), 2218 Queen St E (523 m, 16 units, RentSafeTO score 92), 2178 Queen St E (524 m, 21 units, RentSafeTO score 94) and 109 Beech Ave (536 m, 18 units, RentSafeTO score 77). The average RentSafeTO score across the 30 is 89 out of 100.

How many thefts are reported at Balsam & Pine?

Toronto Police place one theft from a vehicle and one bicycle theft at this intersection in 2016–2025. Break-ins, robberies and other offences are published by neighbourhood only — see the The Beaches page.

What neighbourhood is Balsam & Pine in?

Balsam & Pine is in The Beaches (City of Toronto neighbourhood 063). It is in Ward 19, Beaches-East York, represented by Councillor Brad Bradford.

Sources

Every figure on this page comes from one of these datasets — how they are joined