Toronto · intersection

King & Cowan

King St W & Cowan Ave · Toronto, Ontario · South Parkdale · Ward 4, Parkdale-High Park

King & Cowan is a mid-volume intersection, with a well-used cycling route through it. It sits in South Parkdale, in central Toronto. It has a school within 250 m and parks at the corner. Nearby: 11 TTC routes within a kilometre.

Traffic volume
11,900
vehicles · 14-hour count, May 7, 2025
3,434 pedestrians · 980 cyclists · #1551 busiest
Collisions
62
police-reported, any severity · 2016–2025
11 with an injury · 42 property damage · #1739 of 5,508 · +3 since Jan 2026
KSI collisions
2
killed or seriously injured · 2016–2025
1 fatal · 1 pedestrian · 1 cyclist · #222 of 1,505
Red-light camera
None
not on the City's camera list
Transit
3
TTC stops within 100 m
3 streetcar routes · 4 bus routes within 1 km
Cycling
No bikeway
nothing on the City cycling network here
Bike Share: 16 docks within 150 m

The latest City count averages about 850 vehicles an hour over its 14-hour span, 74% of the median counted intersection. There is roughly one pedestrian for every 3 vehicles, a higher share of people on foot than the typical counted intersection (one per 13). Cyclists were 8.2% of vehicle volume, about 11× the typical share. On average 6.2 collisions a year were reported here in 2016–2025 — 5.2 per 10,000 counted vehicles, in line with the median rate for counted intersections. Collisions fell 37%, from 38 in 2016–2020 to 24 in 2021–2025. About one in 31 of those collisions involved a death or serious injury.

Map

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King & Cowan

Getting here

Transit within 1 km, cycling at the corner, and what's within a 1.5 km walk

Transit & cycling

Streetcar
504508501 nearest 71 m
TTC bus
402294763 nearest 71 m
Express
929
Blue Night
304301329
Nearest stops
4 surface stops within 300 m — King St West at Spencer Ave; King St West at Dunn Ave
Cycling
no bikeway on the City cycling network touches this intersection
Bike Share
King St W / Cowan Ave - SMART 16 m · 16 docks · 28 stations, 543 docks within 1 km

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

Within walking distance 1.5 km

Schools (9)
  • Holy Family Catholic Elementary SchoolEnglish Separate · 245 m
  • Dr Rita Cox - Kina Minagok Public SchoolEnglish Public · 325 m
  • Parkdale Collegiate InstituteEnglish Public · 383 m
  • Parkdale Jr & Sr Public SchoolEnglish Public · 698 m
  • Mary Mother of God SchoolPrivate · 783 m
  • Alexander Muir Gladstone Ave & the GroveEnglish Public · 922 m
  • and 3 more
Parks (35)
Library
  • Toronto Public Library Parkdale branch366 m
Places of interest
  • Medieval Times Dinner and TournamentPerforming Arts · 788 m
  • The Theatre CentrePerforming Arts · 886 m
  • Queen Elizabeth TheatrePerforming Arts · 1 km
  • BMO FieldSports / Entertainment Venue · 1.2 km
  • Coca-Cola Coliseum (formerly Ricoh Coliseum)Sports / Entertainment Venue · 1.4 km

Around the corner

Food premises, public washrooms, child care and emergency services — distances are straight-line from the node

Restaurants & food

There are 21 restaurants, cafés and takeouts within 300 m of the corner, plus 3 grocery and convenience stores, and 243 eating places within a kilometre — 3.3× the median for a Toronto intersection. The nearest is Pharmacy Bar, 8 m away, which passed its last DineSafe inspection in September 2025.

Restaurants & cafés21 within 300 m · 243 within 1 km
Grocery & convenience3 within 300 m · 47 within 1 km
Nearest food premisesDistanceLatest DineSafe inspection
Pharmacy Bar · 1318 King St W8 mPassed, Sep 2025
Domino's Pizza · 1313 King St W8 mPassed, Jun 2026
Bailey House · 1330 King St W47 mPassed, Jan 2026 · 1 infraction
The Sand Trap Golf Simulator and Lounge · 1306 King St W48 mPassed, Mar 2026
Communiti Care Health · 1335 King St W54 mPassed, Jun 2026 · 1 infraction
The Abbott · 99 Spencer Ave93 mPassed, Jun 2025
The Abbott · 99 Spencer Ave93 mPassed, Aug 2026 · 1 infraction
King's Milk · 1265 King St W96 mPassed, Aug 2025

Every establishment Toronto Public Health inspects under DineSafe, screened by name to leave out kitchens inside schools, care homes and offices. A conditional pass means infractions had to be fixed by a follow-up visit, not that the premises is closed.

Washrooms & water

The nearest public washroom is Masaryk-Cowan Community Recreation Centre Washroom, 312 m away, View centre hours. A drinking fountain is 211 m away at Spencer - Cowan Parkette.

  • Masaryk-Cowan Community Recreation Centre Washroom · 220 Cowan Ave
    View centre hours
    312 m
  • Automated public toilet, 1275 Lake Shore Blvd W
    24 hours · accessible
    681 m
Drinking water
Spencer - Cowan Parkette drinking fountain · 211 m; Masaryk Park drinking fountain · 259 m

Park washrooms, washrooms in City buildings and automated street toilets, with hours and status as the City publishes them (park washrooms are seasonal). Malls, shops and TTC stations are not included.

Child care

Nine licensed child care centres within a kilometre offer 756 spaces; eight accept City fee subsidy. The nearest is Sunflower House (170 m, 44 spaces, infant, toddler, preschool).

Within 1 km9 centres · 756 spaces
Fee subsidy8 of 9
  • Sunflower House · 162 Dunn Ave
    44 spaces · infant, toddler, preschool · fee subsidy · $10-a-day
    170 m
  • Parkdale Early Learning Centre - Cdi - 119 Close Ave. · 119 Close Ave
    49 spaces · infant, toddler, preschool · fee subsidy · $10-a-day
    221 m
  • Holy Family Childcare Centre-Queen Victoria · 141 Close Ave
    25 spaces · school age · fee subsidy · $10-a-day
    245 m
  • Queen Victoria Child Care Centre · 100 Close Ave
    151 spaces · toddler, preschool, kindergarten, school age · fee subsidy · $10-a-day
    325 m

Licensed centres only; spaces are licensed capacity, not vacancies.

Emergency services

The nearest fire hall is Fire Station 426 (1.0 km), the nearest police station 14 Division (1.6 km) and the nearest ambulance station 475 m away.

FireFire Station 426 · 1 km140 Lansdowne Ave
Police14 Division · 1.6 km350 Dovercourt Road
AmbulanceAmbulance Station 37 · 475 m1288 Queen St W

Nearest station by straight line — not a response time, and not necessarily the station that would answer a call.

Apartment buildings nearby

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

122 registered apartment buildings with 9,964 rental units stand within a kilometre of the corner, 21 of them social or Toronto Community Housing — 5.3× the median for a Toronto intersection. The nearest is 1339 King St W (70 m, 10 units, 3 storeys, built 1920), which scored 90 out of 100 at its July 2024 RentSafeTO evaluation. One building of the 122 scored below 70; the average is 90, about the citywide norm. The Landlord and Tenant Board issued 329 final orders naming these buildings in the latest half-year of its catalogue, and 74 fire-code violations are open across them.

Registered buildings122 · 9,964 units · 21 social housing
RentSafeTO score90 average · 1 below 70
LTB orders, Jan 2026 – Jun 2026329 across the 122
Open fire-code violations74
Tallest35 storeys
Nearest buildingsUnitsStoreysBuiltScoreLTB ordersDistance
1339 King St Wsocial housing · Parkdale United Church Foundation103192090 · Jul 2024070 m
1340 King St W · Anchor Property Managers Inc.1641890100 · Jul 2026094 m
1355 King St Wsocial housing · Parkdale United Church Foundation Inc.13611197698 · Jul 2026295 m
12 Elm Grove Ave · Dms Property Management334196891 · Jun 20251125 m
1 Elm Grove Ave123193184 · Jul 20260158 m
85 Spencer AveToronto Community Housing · Toronto Community Housing Corporation577197492 · Jul 20240159 m
3 Elm Grove Ave · Tga Management Services123193193 · Jul 20260162 m
1251 King St W · Signet Group Inc18914197289 · Jul 20262174 m

The City's RentSafeTO register — rental apartment buildings of three or more storeys and ten or more units — with the score from each building's latest City evaluation (out of 100; poor scores trigger a full audit). LTB orders are final Landlord and Tenant Board orders naming the address (Jan 2026 – Jun 2026); fire-code violations are open items in Toronto Fire Services' inspection data. Each building links to its full record on LandlordReport. Condominiums and houses are not registered.

Parking

Every mapped lot within 2 km, Green P with peak occupancy, City EV charging and bike parking

All parking lots453 lots · ≈22,280 spaces · 66.8 ha
Within 500 m98 lots · ≈2,800 spaces
Green P (public)17 car parks · about 1,496 spaces
EV charging (City)1224 KING ST W · 299 m · 2 Level 2 ports
Bike parking22 post-and-rings within 300 m · racks for 8 bikes within 600 m
Green P car parkDistanceSpacesPeak occupancy
1325 Queen St W · Surface362 m3294% (Q1 2026)
1155 King Street West · Surface633 m269 *
14 Fuller Ave · Surface689 m4247% (Q1 2026)
1275 Lakeshore Blvd. W. (Parks) · Surface693 m120 *
45 Abell St · Garage775 m12460% (Q1 2026)

Nearest lots: 68 m away, ≈18 spaces; 69 m away, ≈14 spaces; 74 m away, ≈10 spaces; 77 m away, ≈20 spaces; 97 m away, ≈28 spaces; 107 m away, ≈7 spaces. More EV charging: 45 Abell St (769 m, 16 ports); 1051 Queen Street W (1.1 km, 2 ports); 283 Ossington Ave (1.6 km, 2 ports).

Lot count and area from the City's topographic mapping of parking-lot footprints (every visible surface lot, public or private); spaces are estimated at one per 30 m² of lot. Lots not run by Green P are private, commercial or institutional and may be for customers or residents only. Green P spaces and average daily peak occupancy from the Toronto Parking Authority's quarterly dataset (* = capacity from the 2019 car-park list; rates are not shown because that list is stale — check Green P). EV chargers are City-operated only; on-street and underground parking are not included.

Traffic volume

The City's latest turning-movement count — 14-hour, May 7, 2025

This is a three-leg intersection with no south leg. The east leg carries the load — 5,864 westbound vehicles, or 49% of everything entering — while the north leg brought 1,140. Most cyclists arrived from the west (435 of 980). The afternoon peak is the heavier one — 1,169 vehicles in the hour from 3:30 p.m., 13% above the morning peak from 7:45 a.m. (1,031). Heavy vehicles made up 2.7% of traffic (typical: 3.2%). The citywide median for a 14-hour count is 16,183 vehicles. The count is 16 months old; the City recounts intersections on an ad-hoc schedule, so volumes may have shifted since.

From the north1,140southbound · 135 bikes · 3.1% heavy
From the west4,896eastbound · 435 bikes · 2.9% heavy
Total vehicles11,9003,434 pedestrians · 980 cyclists · 2.7% heavy
From the east5,864westbound · 403 bikes · 2.5% heavy
From the south0northbound · 7 bikes · 0.0% heavy
AM peak hour1,031 vehicles from 7:45 a.m.
PM peak hour1,169 vehicles from 3:30 p.m.
Count14-hour · May 7, 2025

Approach figures are vehicles entering the intersection from that leg over the whole count. A count is one day's traffic, not an annual average; the City recounts on an ad-hoc schedule.

How fast traffic moves here

Midblock speed counts on the intersection's streets, the nearest school-zone speed sign, and traffic calming

The City's most recent midblock count on Cowan Ave between Trenton Ter and Spencer Cowan Parkette Trl (296 m away, Sep 2020) recorded volume only — about 868 vehicles a day — with no speed data. At the school-zone speed sign on Jameson Ave (363 m away, 40 km/h limit), 0.1% of the 38,849 vehicles logged in July 2026 were doing 50 km/h or more — almost none. 7 speed humps slow traffic on Cowan Avenue between Springhurst Ave and King St W.

Street segmentCountedVehicles / dayAverage85th percentile95th
Cowan Ave · Trenton Ter – Spencer Cowan Parkette Trl · 296 mSep 2020 · 3 days868
King St W · Dufferin St – Gwynne Ave · 316 mNov 2015 · 3 days18,771

School-zone speed sign 363 m

Posted limit40 km/h
Median · 85th pct32 · 38 km/h
Over the limit1.3%
50 km/h or more0.1%

Jameson Ave (northbound), 109 Jameson Ave · 38,849 vehicles logged in July 2026 · runs weekdays, 7 am - 9 pm.

Traffic calming

  • Cowan Avenue · Springhurst Ave – King St W
    7 speed humps

Midblock counts are automatic counters laid across the road for one to seven days; the 85th-percentile speed is the figure engineers use — 85% of drivers were at or below it. Counts are ad hoc, so some are years old. A midblock reading is not the speed through the intersection itself, and posted limits are not in the count data.

All police-reported collisions

Every collision reported to Toronto Police within 65 m, any severity, 2016–2025

2017 was the peak year (14 collisions), and 2025 closed with 6. 18% of collisions here involved an injury, in line with the 15% citywide. 8 drivers failed to remain at the scene — 13% of collisions, in line with the citywide 16%. People walking or cycling were involved in 13% of collisions here (citywide: 5%). Since January 2026, 3 more collisions have been reported; they sit outside the ranking window. The most recent report on file is from Jun 27, 2026.

By year

16171819202122232425

Exposure-adjusted: 5.2 collisions per year per 10,000 daily vehicles, using the latest 14-hour count.

2016–2025Collisions
All reported collisions62#1739 of 5,508
With an injury11#1532 of 4,660
Property damage only42
Fail to remain8
Involving a pedestrian6#509 of 3,193
Involving a cyclist2#958 of 2,576
Involving a motorcyclist0
With a fatality1
Severity not classified8
Since January 2026 (outside the window)3
All since 201469latest Jun 27, 2026

Source: Toronto Police Service, Traffic Collisions Open Data — every collision reported to police since 2014, within 65 m of this node. Records through Jun 30, 2026.

Killed or seriously injured

Collisions in which someone died or was seriously injured, within 65 m, 2016–2025 — the basis of the danger rankings

Of the two serious-injury collisions in 2016–2025, one was fatal. 1 pedestrian and 1 cyclist were among those hurt. The most recent was on Dec 28, 2017.

By year

16171819202122232425
2016–2025Collisions
All KSI collisions2#222 of 1,505
Fatal1#177 of 319
Involving a pedestrian1#255 of 879
Involving a cyclist1#35 of 271
Involving a motorcyclist0
In darkness0
All KSI since 20062latest Dec 28, 2017

KSI = killed or seriously injured. A collision is counted if its recorded location is within 65 m of this intersection's centreline node, whether the police coded it as intersection-related or mid-block. Records can lag a year or more, so the current year is excluded from rankings.

Thefts reported at this corner

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

Toronto Police place nine thefts from vehicles and three bicycle thefts at this intersection in 2016–2025 — 2.0× the median for a Toronto intersection with any reported theft. The pace has slowed: 2 in 2023–2025, about 0.7 a year, against 1.4 a year before that. 56% 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 vehicle920street/outdoor (5), other (2)
Bicycle theft300other (2), house driveway/garage (1)

Source: Toronto Police Service, Theft From Motor Vehicle and Bicycle Thefts open data, records through Oct 6, 2025. 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 South Parkdale.

Nearby intersections

Questions

Is King & Cowan a dangerous intersection?

It is not among the worst. 2 serious-injury collisions were recorded in 2016–2025 (#222 of 1,505), out of 62 reported collisions of any severity. 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 King & Cowan?

A mid-volume intersection. It ranks #1551 of 2,390 counted intersections for vehicles, 74% of the median for a counted intersection.

Where can I park near King & Cowan?

The nearest Green P car park is 1325 Queen St W (362 m away, 32 spaces, 94% full at the daily peak in Q1 2026). The City's mapping shows 453 parking lots of any kind within 2 km — roughly 22,280 spaces — 98 of them within 500 m; most are private or customer-only lots. The nearest City EV charger is at 1224 KING ST W (299 m).

How do I get to King & Cowan by transit?

Streetcar routes 504, 508, 501 stop within 1 km, the nearest 71 m away; bus routes 402, 29, 47, 63, 929 within 1 km (nearest stop: King St West at Spencer Ave, 71 m).

What restaurants are near King & Cowan?

21 restaurants, cafés and takeouts are within 300 m, and 243 within a kilometre, according to Toronto Public Health's DineSafe inspection list. The closest are Pharmacy Bar (8 m), Domino's Pizza (8 m), Bailey House (47 m), The Sand Trap Golf Simulator and Lounge (48 m) and Communiti Care Health (54 m). Each one's latest inspection result is shown on this page; DineSafe does not record cuisine or opening hours.

Is there a public washroom near King & Cowan?

The nearest is Masaryk-Cowan Community Recreation Centre Washroom, 220 Cowan Ave, 312 m away (View centre hours). Next nearest: the automated public toilet at 1275 Lake Shore Blvd W (681 m). These are the City's own washrooms — in parks, civic buildings and automated street toilets — not those in malls, coffee shops or TTC stations.

Is there child care near King & Cowan?

Nine licensed child care centres within 1 km, with 756 spaces in total; 8 accept City fee subsidy and some are in the $10-a-day (CWELCC) program. The nearest are Sunflower House (170 m, 44 spaces), Parkdale Early Learning Centre - Cdi - 119 Close Ave. (221 m, 49 spaces) and Holy Family Childcare Centre-Queen Victoria (245 m, 25 spaces). Spaces are licensed capacity, not vacancies.

What apartment buildings are near King & Cowan?

122 RentSafeTO-registered apartment buildings with 9,964 rental units are within 1 km. The nearest are 1339 King St W (70 m, 10 units, RentSafeTO score 90), 1340 King St W (94 m, 16 units, RentSafeTO score 100), 1355 King St W (95 m, 136 units, RentSafeTO score 98) and 12 Elm Grove Ave (125 m, 33 units, RentSafeTO score 91). The average RentSafeTO score across the 122 is 90 out of 100; 1 scored below 70. Condos and houses are not on the City's register. Each building's full record — score history, LTB orders, fire-code inspections, permits — is on LandlordReport.

How many thefts are reported at King & Cowan?

Toronto Police place nine thefts from vehicles and three bicycle thefts at this intersection in 2016–2025. Police offset every reported occurrence to the nearest intersection before publishing it, so the count covers the streets, driveways and parking around this corner rather than the corner itself. Break-ins, robberies and other offences are published by neighbourhood only — see the South Parkdale page.

What neighbourhood is King & Cowan in?

King & Cowan is in South Parkdale (City of Toronto neighbourhood 085), designated a Neighbourhood Improvement Area. It is in Ward 4, Parkdale-High Park, represented by Councillor Gord Perks.

Sources

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