Toronto police close streets as crowds gather in downtown core for 2nd weekend convoy protest

Toronto police have closed several major streets in the downtown core to keep trucks away from Queen's Park and the hospitals that line University Avenue south of College Street.

According to police, the road closures on Saturday are as follows:

• A perimeter around Queen's Park that goes from Dupont Street in the north, Church Street in the east, Spadina Avenue in the west and Queen Street in the south. 
• College Street from Bay Street to Yonge Street. 
• Don Valley Parkway South at Richmond Street.
• Gardiner Expressway eastbound at Park Lawn Road and on-ramps east of the Humber River.

Police said regular traffic cannot access any roads inside the perimeter around Queen's Park but TTC vehicles will be allowed to pass and the streets will be accessible to pedestrians.

The move comes as Ontario declared a state of emergency in a bid to quell the convoy protests against public health measures meant to curb the spread of COVID. Premier Doug Ford made the announcement Friday morning while protesters continued to shut down parts of Ottawa's city core and blockades cut off portions of Windsor's Ambassador Bridge — one of the country's busiest border crossings.

The roads closures, some of which were announced Friday, are in response to "several social media posts announcing a possible demonstration involving a large number of vehicles," police said.

Last Saturday a major intersection in downtown Toronto was blocked by trucks as part of a demonstration against COVID-19 measures and vaccine mandates. That protest led to the arrest of two people.

On Friday, interim Chief James Ramer said police had intelligence beyond social media posts that protests were planned for this weekend, although he didn't reveal how police gathered their information.  

"Our intelligence is actually quite robust," Ramer said at a news conference.

Police said in a tweet that the public should avoid the Queen's Park area "unless absolutely necessary."

Use public transit, councillor says

Coun. Kristyn Wong-Tam, who represents Ward 13, Toronto Centre, said people should use public transit if they're visiting the downtown area this weekend.

Also, the Hospital For Sick Children said patients and families who are travelling to and from SickKids this weekend should anticipate delays and consider taking transit in case there's traffic congestion. 

"There are police checkpoints in the area around SickKids. Patients and families can identify themselves as a SickKids patient and/or family member of a SickKids patient to pass through any checkpoints," the hospital said.

All patient care will go ahead, UHN says

Meanwhile, the University Health Network said it's confident police will continue to make access to hospitals for patients and staff a priority, as they did last weekend. 

"All care for patients at UHN will go ahead as planned this weekend," a statement from UHN said. 

"Staff in the hospitals are aware that traffic congestion will potentially [affect] the commute to and from the hospitals and we are ensuring that staff are aware of the road closures."

According to UHN, the preparations last weekend have helped all hospitals as the prepare for another potential weekend protest in the downtown core.

Planned counter-protest cancelled

Health-care workers who organized last Saturday's counter-protest had planned another one this weekend.

But late Friday the organizing team called off the rally, saying: "With a state of emergency, the situation is too unpredictable and uncertain to proceed."

Ford signed the state of emergency order Friday evening. It has to be ratified by cabinet within 72 hours and will be in effect for 14 days.

Late Friday an Ontario Superior Court judge granted an injunction aimed at ending the blockade by protesters at the Ambassador Bridge.