Toronto · intersection · signal 5534

Queen & Empire

Queen St E & Empire Ave · Toronto, Ontario · South Riverdale · Ward 14, Toronto-Danforth · Riverside District BIA

In South Riverdale, Queen & Empire is a quiet local crossing, with heavy foot traffic and significant cycling traffic. At the corner: parks. Nearby: 13 TTC routes within a kilometre. No one has been killed or seriously injured here in the last ten years of records.

Traffic volume
8,060
vehicles · 14-hour count, Nov 19, 2024
4,280 pedestrians · 798 cyclists · #1848 busiest
Collisions
23
police-reported, any severity · 2016–2025
2 with an injury · 18 property damage · #3243 of 5,508 · +1 since Jan 2026
KSI collisions
0
killed or seriously injured · 2016–2025
none in the window · 1 before 2016
Red-light camera
None
not on the City's camera list
Transit
2
TTC stops within 100 m
5 streetcar routes · 3 bus routes within 1 km
Cycling
No bikeway
nothing on the City cycling network here
Bike Share: 33 docks within 150 m

The latest City count averages about 580 vehicles an hour over its 14-hour span, 50% of the median counted intersection. Foot traffic runs at about one pedestrian per 1.9 vehicles — more walking than at most counted intersections, where the median is one per 13. Cyclists were 9.9% of vehicle volume, about 13× the typical share. That comes with about 2.3 reported collisions a year, 2016–2025 — 2.9 per 10,000 counted vehicles, below the median rate of 5.0. Collisions fell 56%, from 16 in 2016–2020 to 7 in 2021–2025. No one was killed or seriously injured in any of them.

Map

Everything on this page, plotted around the node — filter the layers to see one thing at a time

Layers click a category to show or hide it · None then one category to see it alone
Queen & Empire

Getting here

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

Transit & cycling

Streetcar
501503504505506 nearest 11 m
TTC bus
7283121 nearest 363 m
Blue Night
301304305306325
Nearest stops
6 surface stops within 300 m — Queen St East at Empire Ave
Cycling
no bikeway on the City cycling network touches this intersection
Bike Share
Jimmie Simpson Park (Queen St E) 77 m · 33 docks · 18 stations, 321 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 (16)
  • Morse Street Jr Public SchoolEnglish Public · 345 m
  • Dundas Jr Public SchoolEnglish Public · 406 m
  • Queen Alexandra Mdl SchoolEnglish Public · 485 m
  • Seed Alternative SchoolEnglish Public · 534 m
  • Eastdale Collegiate InstituteEnglish Public · 738 m
  • Bruce Jr Public SchoolEnglish Public · 901 m
  • and 10 more
Parks (39)
  • McCleary Playground121 m
  • Jimmie Simpson Park123 m
  • Bruce Mackey Park254 m
  • Saulter Street Parkette307 m
  • John Chang Neighbourhood Park308 m
  • de Grassi St Parkette381 m
  • and 33 more
Library
  • Toronto Public Library Queen/Saulter branch268 m
  • Toronto Public Library Riverdale branch934 m
  • Toronto Public Library Jones branch1 km
Places of interest
  • Soulpepper Theatre CompanyPerforming Arts · 1.2 km
  • Riverdale Park (East and West)Nature/ Park · 1.3 km
  • Native Earth Performing Arts & Aki StudioPerforming Arts · 1.4 km
  • Young Centre for the Performing ArtsPerforming Arts · 1.5 km

Around the corner

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

Restaurants & food

Toronto Public Health inspects 37 eating places within 300 m of this corner, plus 7 grocery and convenience stores; within a kilometre the count is 188 — 2.6× the median for a Toronto intersection. The nearest is Woodgreen Community Services, 48 m away, which passed its last DineSafe inspection in July 2026.

Restaurants & cafés37 within 300 m · 188 within 1 km
Grocery & convenience7 within 300 m · 34 within 1 km
Nearest food premisesDistanceLatest DineSafe inspection
Woodgreen Community Services · 841 Queen St E48 mPassed, Jul 2026
Osmow's · 861 Queen St E63 mPassed, Mar 2026
The Castle On Queen · 884 Queen St E89 mPassed, Aug 2026
Hooked · 888 Queen St E101 mPassed, May 2026
Bar Bokeh · 890 Queen St E108 mPassed, May 2026 · 4 infractions
Matcha Haus · 890 Queen St E108 mPassed, Apr 2026
A&W · 875 Queen St E Unit-106111 mPassed, Feb 2026
Circle K · 875 Queen St Egrocery111 mPassed, Jun 2026

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 Jimmie Simpson Recreation Centre Washroom, 80 m away, View centre hours. A drinking fountain is 66 m away at Jimmie Simpson Park.

  • Jimmie Simpson Recreation Centre Washroom · 870 Queen St E
    View centre hours
    80 m
  • Morse Street Playground Washroom · 76 Morse St
    9 a.m. to 10 p.m. · accessible
    538 m
  • McCleary Park Washroom · 755 Lake Shore Blvd E
    9 a.m. to 10 p.m. · accessible
    804 m
Drinking water
Jimmie Simpson Park bottle filling station · 66 m; Jimmie Simpson Park bottle filling station · 104 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

Ten licensed child care centres within a kilometre offer 915 spaces; five accept City fee subsidy. The nearest is Mighty Kids (289 m, 43 spaces, infant, toddler, preschool).

Within 1 km10 centres · 915 spaces
Fee subsidy5 of 10
  • Mighty Kids · 14 Verral Ave
    43 spaces · infant, toddler, preschool · $10-a-day
    289 m
  • Brightpath Leslieville · 970 Queen St E
    154 spaces · infant, toddler, preschool · $10-a-day
    345 m
  • Woodgreen Community Services (Morse Child Care Centre) · 180 Carlaw Ave
    192 spaces · toddler, preschool, kindergarten, school age · fee subsidy · $10-a-day
    345 m
  • Liberty Preparatory School Inc. · 181 Carlaw Ave
    39 spaces · toddler, preschool
    393 m

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

Emergency services

The nearest fire hall is Fire Station 324 (857 m), the nearest police station 51 Division (1.7 km) and the nearest ambulance station 562 m away.

FireFire Station 324 · 857 m840 Gerrard St E
Police51 Division · 1.7 km51 Parliament Street
AmbulanceAmbulance Station 43 · 562 m126 Pape Ave

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

Within a kilometre there are 16 RentSafeTO-registered apartment buildings — 937 rental units — 14 social or Toronto Community Housing. The nearest is 841 Queen St E (49 m, 36 units, 3 storeys, built 1988), which scored 69 out of 100 at its July 2026 RentSafeTO evaluation. One building of the 16 scored below 70; the average is 89, about the citywide norm. The Landlord and Tenant Board issued 6 final orders naming these buildings in the latest half-year of its catalogue, and 3 fire-code violations are open across them.

Registered buildings16 · 937 units · 14 social housing
RentSafeTO score89 average · 1 below 70
LTB orders, Jan 2026 – Jun 20266 across the 16
Open fire-code violations3
Tallest22 storeys
Nearest buildingsUnitsStoreysBuiltScoreLTB ordersDistance
841 Queen St Esocial housing · Woodgreen Community Housing Inc.363198869 · Jul 2026049 m
245-247 Logan Ave · Valour Management Inc.214192790 · Jun 20240187 m
502 Eastern Avesocial housing · Neighbours Community Homes195198991 · Dec 20250361 m
58 Lewis Stsocial housing · Woodgreen Community Housing Inc.154198791 · Oct 20250400 m
179 Broadview Avesocial housing · Neighbours Community Homes414199285 · Aug 20260478 m
444 Logan Avesocial housing · Woodgreen Community Housing Inc15922196786 · Jun 20243 · 3 fire587 m
55 Pape Avesocial housing · Woodgreen Community Housing Inc.605199688 · Aug 20240601 m
859 Dundas St EToronto Community Housing · Toronto Community Housing Corporation294197396 · Dec 20250623 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 lots674 lots · ≈35,360 spaces · 106.1 ha
Within 500 m96 lots · ≈2,290 spaces
Green P (public)12 car parks · about 1,304 spaces
EV charging (City)220 Carlaw Ave. · 379 m · 2 Level 2 ports
Bike parking83 post-and-rings within 300 m · racks for 27 bikes within 600 m
Green P car parkDistanceSpacesPeak occupancy
111 Broadview Ave · Surface439 m9256% (Q1 2026)
136 Broadview Ave · Surface477 m2273% (Q1 2026)
653 Gerrard St E · Surface784 m3072% (Q1 2026)
573 Gerrard St E · Surface902 m3675% (Q1 2026)
83 Tannery Road · Garage1.1 km27 *

Nearest lots: 32 m away, ≈7 spaces; 32 m away, ≈12 spaces; 35 m away, ≈8 spaces; 65 m away, ≈9 spaces; 146 m away, ≈9 spaces; 149 m away, ≈14 spaces. More EV charging: 963 Gerrard St E (1 km, 2 ports); 500 Commissioners St (1.2 km, 2 ports); 43 Alton Ave (1.4 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, Nov 19, 2024

This is a three-leg intersection with no north leg. Traffic is heaviest from the west: 3,867 eastbound vehicles entered from that leg, 48% of the total, against 539 from the south. Most cyclists arrived from the east (389 of 798). Evening rush dominates here: 1,133 vehicles in the peak hour from 4:45 p.m., against 819 in the morning peak from 8:15 a.m. Heavy vehicles made up 3.3% of traffic (typical: 3.2%). For scale, a typical counted intersection in Toronto sees 16,183 vehicles over 14 hours. The count is 22 months old; the City recounts intersections on an ad-hoc schedule, so volumes may have shifted since.

From the north0southbound · 1 bikes · 0.0% heavy
From the west3,867eastbound · 377 bikes · 2.9% heavy
Total vehicles8,0604,280 pedestrians · 798 cyclists · 3.3% heavy
From the east3,654westbound · 389 bikes · 3.7% heavy
From the south539northbound · 31 bikes · 2.6% heavy
AM peak hour819 vehicles from 8:15 a.m.
PM peak hour1,133 vehicles from 4:45 p.m.
Count14-hour · Nov 19, 2024

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

On Empire Ave between Eastern Ave and Graham Pl, 181 m from the corner, a 3-day count in April 2019 put the average speed at 25 km/h and the 85th-percentile speed at 34 km/h, with the fastest one in twenty at 37 km/h or more. That segment carries about 800 vehicles a day. The reading is 7 years old; the City counts on request rather than on a schedule. At the school-zone speed sign on Carlaw Ave (362 m away, 30 km/h limit), 20% of the 96,853 vehicles logged in July 2026 were doing 40 km/h or more — a high share for a school zone. 4 speed humps slow traffic on Empire Avenue between Easterm Avenue and Queen St E.

Street segmentCountedVehicles / dayAverage85th percentile95th
Empire Ave · Eastern Ave – Graham Pl · 181 mApr 2019 · 3 days78725 km/h34 km/h37 km/h
Queen St E · Morse St – Verral Ave · 287 mJun 2013 · 24 h7,544

School-zone speed sign 362 m

Posted limit30 km/h
Median · 85th pct34 · 41 km/h
Over the limit49%
40 km/h or more20%

Carlaw Ave (southbound), 180 Carlaw Avenue · 96,853 vehicles logged in July 2026 · runs weekdays, 7 am - 9 pm.

Traffic calming

  • Empire Avenue · Easterm Avenue – Queen St E
    4 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

The worst year was 2023, with 4 collisions; 2025 recorded 2. 2 collisions (9%) involved an injury; the citywide share is 15%. 3 drivers failed to remain at the scene — 13% of collisions, in line with the citywide 16%. 2 collisions involved a pedestrian or cyclist (9%) — a high share for a Toronto intersection. Since January 2026, 1 more collision has been reported; they sit outside the ranking window. The most recent report on file is from May 21, 2026.

By year

16171819202122232425

Exposure-adjusted: 2.9 collisions per year per 10,000 daily vehicles, using the latest 14-hour count.

2016–2025Collisions
All reported collisions23#3243 of 5,508
With an injury2#3906 of 4,660
Property damage only18
Fail to remain3
Involving a pedestrian0
Involving a cyclist2#1309 of 2,576
Involving a motorcyclist0
With a fatality0
Severity not classified3
Since January 2026 (outside the window)1
All since 201430latest May 21, 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

Nothing in 2016–2025, the ten complete years the rankings use. 1 earlier KSI collision is on file, the last on Jan 23, 2007.

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

Ten thefts from vehicles and four bike thefts were reported around this corner in 2016–2025 — 2.3× the median for a Toronto intersection with any reported theft. The pace has been steady at around 1.4 a year. 90% of the vehicle thefts were from the street or other outdoor spots. Since January 2026, 1 more has been reported, the latest on Jun 7, 2026.

By year

16171819202122232425
2016–2025Reported2023–2025Since Jan 2026Most often from
Theft from a vehicle1040street/outdoor (9), apartment parking (1)
Bicycle theft401other (3), house driveway/garage (1)

Source: Toronto Police Service, Theft From Motor Vehicle and Bicycle Thefts open data, records through Jun 7, 2026. 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 Riverdale.

Nearby intersections

Questions

Is Queen & Empire a dangerous intersection?

Not by the record: no one was killed or seriously injured here in 2016–2025, though police reported 23 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 Queen & Empire?

A quiet local crossing. It ranks #1848 of 2,390 counted intersections for vehicles, 50% of the median for a counted intersection, and #455 for pedestrians.

How fast do cars go at Queen & Empire?

The City's most recent speed count near the corner, on Empire Ave between Eastern Ave and Graham Pl (April 2019), found an average of 25 km/h and an 85th-percentile speed of 34 km/h — meaning 85% of drivers were at or below that speed. At the school-zone speed sign 362 m away (30 km/h), 20% of vehicles were doing 40 km/h or more in July 2026.

Where can I park near Queen & Empire?

The nearest Green P car park is 111 Broadview Ave (439 m away, 92 spaces, 56% full at the daily peak in Q1 2026). The City's mapping shows 674 parking lots of any kind within 2 km — roughly 35,360 spaces — 96 of them within 500 m; most are private or customer-only lots. The nearest City EV charger is at 220 Carlaw Ave. (379 m).

How do I get to Queen & Empire by transit?

Streetcar routes 501, 503, 504, 505 and 1 more stop within 1 km, the nearest 11 m away; bus routes 72, 83, 121 within 1 km (nearest stop: Queen St East at Empire Ave, 363 m).

What restaurants are near Queen & Empire?

37 restaurants, cafés and takeouts are within 300 m, and 188 within a kilometre, according to Toronto Public Health's DineSafe inspection list. The closest are Woodgreen Community Services (48 m), Osmow's (63 m), The Castle On Queen (89 m), Hooked (101 m) and Bar Bokeh (108 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 Queen & Empire?

The nearest is Jimmie Simpson Recreation Centre Washroom, 870 Queen St E, 80 m away (View centre hours). Next nearest: Morse Street Playground Washroom (538 m); McCleary Park Washroom (804 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 Queen & Empire?

Ten licensed child care centres within 1 km, with 915 spaces in total; 5 accept City fee subsidy and some are in the $10-a-day (CWELCC) program. The nearest are Mighty Kids (289 m, 43 spaces), Brightpath Leslieville (345 m, 154 spaces) and Woodgreen Community Services (Morse Child Care Centre) (345 m, 192 spaces). Spaces are licensed capacity, not vacancies.

What apartment buildings are near Queen & Empire?

16 RentSafeTO-registered apartment buildings with 937 rental units are within 1 km. The nearest are 841 Queen St E (49 m, 36 units, RentSafeTO score 69), 245-247 Logan Ave (187 m, 21 units, RentSafeTO score 90), 502 Eastern Ave (361 m, 19 units, RentSafeTO score 91) and 58 Lewis St (400 m, 15 units, RentSafeTO score 91). The average RentSafeTO score across the 16 is 89 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 Queen & Empire?

Toronto Police place ten thefts from vehicles and four bicycle thefts at this intersection in 2016–2025, plus 1 since January 2026. 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 Riverdale page.

What neighbourhood is Queen & Empire in?

Queen & Empire is in South Riverdale (City of Toronto neighbourhood 070). It is in Ward 14, Toronto-Danforth, represented by Councillor Paula Fletcher. The corner falls inside the Riverside District Business Improvement Area.

Sources

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