Toronto · intersection

George & The Esplanade

George St S & The Esplanade · Toronto, Ontario · St Lawrence-East Bayfront-The Islands · Ward 13, Toronto Centre · Old Town Toronto BIA

George & The Esplanade, in St Lawrence-East Bayfront-The Islands, in the downtown core, was a low-volume local intersection, with pedestrians outnumbering vehicles and significant cycling traffic — that was the City's last count here, in 2022. At the corner: a protected bikeway, 2 schools within 250 m and parks. Nearby: King Station (Line 1) 816 m away. No one has been killed or seriously injured here in the last ten years of records.

Traffic
1,173
vehicles · 8-hour count, Jun 15, 2022
3,841 pedestrians · 490 cyclists
Collisions
22
police-reported · 2016–2025
none killed or seriously injured
Getting there
2
TTC stops within 100 m
King Station 816 m · 19 routes within 1 km · protected bikeway
Within a walk
87/100
city median 48 · #109 of 5,672
53 places to eat within 300 m · grocery 195 m

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George & The Esplanade

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 · Jun 15, 2022

Traffic is heaviest from the north: 805 southbound vehicles entered from that leg, 69% of the total, against 33 from the south. Most cyclists arrived from the east (252 of 490). Evening rush dominates here: 222 vehicles in the peak hour from 4:45 p.m., against 120 in the morning peak from 8:00 a.m. Trucks and buses were 13.8% of traffic, well above the typical 3.2% — a sign of a goods-movement or bus corridor. For scale, a typical counted intersection in Toronto sees 16,177 vehicles over 14 hours. The count is 4 years old — treat it as a snapshot of 2022, 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 north805southbound · 59 bikes · 4.8% heavy
From the west159eastbound · 158 bikes · 52.8% heavy
Total vehicles1,1733,841 pedestrians · 490 cyclists · 13.8% heavy
From the east176westbound · 252 bikes · 19.9% heavy
From the south33northbound · 21 bikes · 12.1% heavy

Peak hours: 120 vehicles in the hour from 8:00 a.m. and 222 from 4:45 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 worst year was 2019, with 6 collisions; 2025 recorded 0. 2 collisions (9%) involved an injury; the citywide share is 15%. 3 drivers failed to remain at the scene — 14% of collisions, in line with the citywide 16%. 2 collisions involved a pedestrian or cyclist (9%) — a high share for a Toronto intersection. The most recent report on file is from Feb 7, 2024.

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

By year

16171819202122232425
2016–2025Collisions
All reported collisions22
With an injury2
Property damage only17
Fail to remain3
Involving a pedestrian0
Involving a cyclist2
Severity not classified3
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 2020

On George St S between Albert Franck Pl and Wilton St, 65 m from the corner, a 2-day count in March 2020 put the average speed at 23 km/h and the 85th-percentile speed at 29 km/h, with the fastest one in twenty at 35 km/h or more. That segment carries about 1,000 vehicles a day. The reading is 6 years old; the City counts on request rather than on a schedule. 2 speed humps slow traffic on George Street South between The Esplanade and Front St E.

Street segmentCountedVehicles / dayAverage85th percentile95th
The Esplanade · Lower Jarvis St – George St S · 50 mFeb 2020 · 7 days7,212———
George St S · Albert Franck Pl – Wilton St · 65 mMar 2020 · 2 days95723 km/h29 km/h35 km/h
Traffic calming
George Street South (The Esplanade – Front St E): 2 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

Subway
King Station (Line 1)816 m · 10 min
GO Transit
GO bus 31 Guelph / Toronto 21 Milton 16 Hamilton / Toronto Express 71 Stouffville 90 Lakeshore East 65 Newmarket / Toronto 61 Richmond Hill 68 Barrie / Newmarket 18 Lakeshore West 35 Union Pearson Express at Union Station Bus Terminal1 km · 11 min
Streetcar
503 504 508 501 509 510 nearest 319 m · 4 min
TTC bus
121 75 114 202 65 19 97 nearest 70 m
Blue Night
304 301 310 365 320
Nearest stops
6 surface stops within 300 m — The Esplanade at Lower Jarvis St East Side; The Esplanade at Lower Jarvis St
Cycling
Bi-Directional Cycle Track on The Esplanade installed 2022; Cycle Track - Contraflow on George St S installed 2022
Bike Share
Frederick St / The Esplanade 115 m · 19 docks · 41 stations, 907 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
18 car parks · about 6,688 spaces
EV charging
2 Church St. · 413 m · 24 Level 2 + 4 fast ports; also 51 Dockside Dr. (808 m), 51 Dockside Dr (808 m)
Bike parking
132 post-and-rings within 300 m · racks for 65 bikes within 600 m · Indoor bike station, 97 Front St W (1.2 km)
Other lots
21 mapped lots within 500 m, 402 within 2 km — private, commercial or institutional, and often for customers or residents only
Green P car parkDistanceSpacesPeak occupancy
2 Church St · Garage415 m1,97216% (Q1 2026)
44 Parliament Street · Surface662 m120 *—
323 Richmond St E · Garage733 m25253% (Q1 2026)
87 Richmond St E · Surface737 m2092% (Q1 2026)
31A Parliament Street · Surface745 m230 *—

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

Six grocery stores are within 300 m of the corner — the nearest is Bulk Barn, 195 m away. 16 specialist food shops — butchers, bakeries and the like — sit within 300 m, the nearest Aren't We Sweet at 240 m. Toronto Public Health inspects 53 eating places within 300 m of this corner; within a kilometre the count is 342 — 8.3× the median for a Toronto intersection. The nearest is 3 Mariachis (Esplanade), 26 m away. Three pharmacies sit within 300 m of the corner; the nearest is Healthshield Pharmacy, 28 m away. The nearest hospital site is St. Michael's Hospital, 1.1 km away. Les Centres D'accueil Heritage - Centre des Pionniers runs a seniors' active living programme 640 m away.

Restaurants & cafés
  • 3 Mariachis (Esplanade) · 140 the Esplanade26 m
  • Cuon Cuon · 140 the Esplanade Unit-426 m
  • Bellissimo Pizzeria and Ristorante · 164 the Esplanade95 m
  • McDonald's · 121 Front St E137 m
  • Tim Hortons · 25 Henry Lane Ter160 m
53 within 300 m · 342 within 1 km
Grocery
Bulk Barn 195 m · 6 within 300 m
Food shops
Aren't We Sweet 240 m · 16 butchers, bakeries and food shops within 300 m
Convenience
1 convenience store or gas bar within 300 m
Pharmacy
Healthshield Pharmacy 28 m · 12 within 1 km
Child care
  • St. Lawrence Infant Toddler Centre (4 Market Street) · 40 spaces, infant, toddler · fee subsidy · $10-a-day211 m
  • St. Lawrence Co-Operative Day Care School Age (230 the Esplanade) · 74 spaces, preschool, kindergarten · fee subsidy · $10-a-day432 m · 5 min
  • St. Lawrence Co-Operative Day Care (2 Princess Street) · 49 spaces, toddler, preschool · fee subsidy · $10-a-day462 m · 6 min
11 licensed centres · 738 spaces within 1 km · 8 accept City fee subsidy
Washrooms
  • St Lawrence Tent · Mon-Sat Closed, Sun 10:00am-5:00pm151 m
  • St Lawrence South · Mon Closed, Tue-Fri 8:30am-7:30pm, Sat 6:30am-5:30pm, Sun 9:30am-5:30pm · accessible262 m · 3 min
Drinking water: David Crombie Park 33 m
Health and care
  • St. Michael's Hospital · hospital site1.1 km · 13 min
  • Les Centres D'accueil Heritage - Centre des Pionniers · seniors' active living centre640 m · 8 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 (28)
  • David Crombie Park221 m
  • Market Lane Park365 m · 4 min
  • Princess Street Park436 m · 5 min
  • St. James Park499 m · 6 min
  • Toronto Sculpture Garden526 m · 6 min
and 23 more within 1.5 km
Community centres
Schools (18)
  • St Michael Catholic Elementary School - Bldg 1English Separate · 67 m
  • Downtown Alternative SchoolEnglish Public · 173 m
  • George Brown College - St James CampusCollege · 319 m · 4 min
  • Market Lane Jr & Sr Public SchoolEnglish Public · 452 m · 5 min
  • Keystone International SchoolsPrivate · 792 m · 9 min
and 13 more within 1.5 km
Library
  • Toronto Public Library St. Lawrence branch303 m · 4 min
Places of interest
  • St. Lawrence Market and Market GalleryAttraction · 202 m
  • Museum of Illusions TorontoMuseum · 230 m
  • Young People's TheatrePerforming Arts · 266 m · 3 min
  • Toronto's First Post OfficeMuseum · 438 m · 5 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.

87of 100
Scored from the records above

The median Toronto intersection scores 48. This corner is #109 of 5,672. It counts what can be reached, not how pleasant or safe the walk is.

  • Groceries and food30/30

    6 grocery stores within 300 m · 53 places to eat within 300 m

  • Transit23/28

    King Station 0.8 km · 6 stops within 300 m · 19 routes within 1 km

  • Library and places to go14/14

    library 303 m away · 6 places of interest within 500 m

  • Parks and recreation10/10

    4 parks within 500 m · 1 community centre within 800 m

  • Schools and child care8/8

    4 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 27 RentSafeTO-registered apartment buildings — 3,367 rental units — 22 social or Toronto Community Housing. The nearest is 140 The Esplanade (42 m, 102 units, 7 storeys, built 1993), which scored 81 out of 100 at its November 2025 RentSafeTO evaluation. None scored below 70; the average is 89, about the citywide norm.

Nearest buildingsUnitsStoreysBuiltScoreDistance
140 The Esplanade Toronto Community Housing · TCH1027199381 · Nov 202542 m
176 The Esplanade Toronto Community Housing · TCH2207200695 · Nov 2025166 m
25 Henry Lane Ter Toronto Community Housing · Toronto Community Housing Corporation1966197977 · Jul 2025166 m
49 Henry Lane Ter Toronto Community Housing · TCH155198084 · Jul 2025206 m
110 The Esplanade social housing · Affordable Property Management2059199396 · Jul 2024222 m
15 Scadding Ave Toronto Community Housing · Toronto Community Housing Corporation2519198284 · Jul 2025279 m · 3 min

27 registered buildings · 3,367 units · 22 social housing · tallest 31 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

14 thefts from vehicles and three bike thefts were reported around this corner in 2016–2025 — 2.8× the median for a Toronto intersection with any reported theft. The pace has slowed: 3 in 2023–2025, about 1.0 a year, against 2.0 a year before that. 71% of the vehicle thefts were from the street or other outdoor spots.

By year

16171819202122232425
2016–2025Reported2023–2025Since Jan 2026Most often from
Theft from a vehicle1410street/outdoor (10), apartment parking (4)
Bicycle theft320street/outdoor (3)

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 St Lawrence-East Bayfront-The Islands.

Nearby intersections

Questions

Is George & The Esplanade a dangerous intersection?

Not by the record: no one was killed or seriously injured here in 2016–2025, though police reported 22 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 George & The Esplanade?

A low-volume local intersection at the City's last count here, in 2022. Its latest count is from Jun 15, 2022, 13% of today's median for a counted intersection.

Is George & The Esplanade a walkable intersection?

George & The Esplanade scores 87 out of 100 on this site's within-a-walk measure — #109 of 5,672 Toronto intersections; 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: 6 grocery stores within 300 m · 53 places to eat within 300 m; library 303 m away · 6 places of interest within 500 m; 4 parks within 500 m · 1 community centre within 800 m. The crossing itself: traffic calming.

How fast do cars go at George & The Esplanade?

The City's most recent speed count near the corner, on George St S between Albert Franck Pl and Wilton St (March 2020), found an average of 23 km/h and an 85th-percentile speed of 29 km/h — meaning 85% of drivers were at or below that speed.

Where can I park near George & The Esplanade?

The nearest Green P car park is 2 Church St (415 m away, 1,972 spaces, 16% full at the daily peak in Q1 2026). The City's mapping shows 402 parking lots of any kind within 2 km — roughly 12,950 spaces — 21 of them within 500 m; most are private or customer-only lots. The nearest City EV charger is at 2 Church St. (413 m).

How do I get to George & The Esplanade by transit?

King Station (Line 1) is 816 m away; streetcar routes 503, 504, 508, 501 and 2 more stop within 1 km, the nearest 319 m away; bus routes 121, 75, 114, 202, 65, 19, 97 within 1 km (nearest stop: The Esplanade at Lower Jarvis St East Side, 70 m).

What restaurants are near George & The Esplanade?

53 restaurants, cafés and takeouts are within 300 m, and 342 within a kilometre, counting the premises Toronto Public Health has inspected since November 2023. The closest are 3 Mariachis (Esplanade) (26 m), Cuon Cuon (26 m), Bellissimo Pizzeria and Ristorante (95 m), McDonald's (137 m) and Tim Hortons (160 m). DineSafe does not record cuisine or opening hours.

Is there a public washroom near George & The Esplanade?

The nearest is St Lawrence Tent, 125 The Esplanade Street, 151 m away (Mon-Sat Closed, Sun 10:00am-5:00pm). Next nearest: St Lawrence South (262 m); St Lawrence North (299 m).

Is there child care near George & The Esplanade?

11 licensed child care centres within 1 km, with 738 spaces in total; 8 accept City fee subsidy and some are in the $10-a-day (CWELCC) program. The nearest are St. Lawrence Infant Toddler Centre (4 Market Street) (211 m, 40 spaces), St. Lawrence Co-Operative Day Care School Age (230 the Esplanade) (432 m, 74 spaces) and St. Lawrence Co-Operative Day Care (2 Princess Street) (462 m, 49 spaces). Spaces are licensed capacity, not vacancies.

What apartment buildings are near George & The Esplanade?

27 RentSafeTO-registered apartment buildings with 3,367 rental units are within 1 km. The nearest are 140 The Esplanade (42 m, 102 units, RentSafeTO score 81), 176 The Esplanade (166 m, 220 units, RentSafeTO score 95), 25 Henry Lane Ter (166 m, 196 units, RentSafeTO score 77) and 49 Henry Lane Ter (206 m, 15 units, RentSafeTO score 84). The average RentSafeTO score across the 27 is 89 out of 100.

How many thefts are reported at George & The Esplanade?

Toronto Police place 14 thefts from vehicles and three bicycle thefts at this intersection in 2016–2025. Break-ins, robberies and other offences are published by neighbourhood only — see the St Lawrence-East Bayfront-The Islands page.

What neighbourhood is George & The Esplanade in?

George & The Esplanade is in St Lawrence-East Bayfront-The Islands (City of Toronto neighbourhood 166). It is in Ward 13, Toronto Centre, represented by Councillor Chris Moise. The corner falls inside the Old Town Toronto Business Improvement Area.

Sources

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