Toronto Ranks #3 in Canada on Walk Score
By Lucas on Jun 10, 2013
The website, Walk Score, recently rated Canada’s cities on their walkability. Where did Toronto rank? Third place with a score of 71, behind Vancouver and Victoria, both scoring around 78.
How Walk Score works
Walk Score is a nifty website that calculates the walkability of any address, city, or neighbourhood that you type into it. The system gives you a magic number between 0 and 100, and that is known as the official Walk Score.
The breakdown of the scoring is as follows:
90–100 | Walker's Paradise Daily errands do not require a car. |
70–89 | Very Walkable Most errands can be accomplished on foot. |
50–69 | Somewhat Walkable Some errands can be accomplished on foot. |
25–49 | Car-Dependent Most errands require a car. |
0–24 | Car-Dependent Almost all errands require a car. |
As you can see, Toronto falls under the “Very Walkable” category, meaning that “most errands can be accomplished on foot.” So, Walk Score basically rates how easy it is to live without a car.
It is important to note that Walk Score calculates its scores based purely on distance to amenities. The closer certain amenities are to the targeted location, the more points that are awarded. There are no points awarded for anything over one mile away.
The reason that it’s important to remember this is because there are many other factors that play into the walkability of a neighbourhood. Even Walk Score highlights that things like street design, crime issues, topography, and weather need to be considered when analysing true walkability. That said, proximity to local amenities is a great place to start - just remember to do extra research in addition to searching a Walk Score when checking out a neighbourhood that’s new to you!
Builders and developers using Walk Score
As you may have noticed, many builders and developers in the Greater Toronto Area have started using Walk Score to promote their new communities and buildings.
A couple examples include the Easton’s Group and Tridel. Easton’s Group tested King Blue Condos’ neighbourhood on Walk Score and received a 100 - the best possible score.
Tridel tested Ten York’s neighbourhood and received a score of 88. Tridel even has the option for you to view the neighbourhood’s Walk Score directly on the Ten York page on their website. If Tridel, one of the largest and most prolific developers in Ontario, is using Walk Score right on their own website, then you know it must be credible.
Walk Score also ranked the top five neighbourhoods in Toronto:
Bay Street Corridor: 99
Church-Yonge Corridor: 98
Kensington-Chinatown: 97
University: 97
Palmerston-Little Italy: 95
It’s odd that the Entertainment District didn’t fall into the top five, considering when you type in the address to King Blue Condos (355 King St. West), a score of 100 is given. On Walk Score, King Blue Condos falls into the “Waterfront Communities-The Island” neighbourhood, which has a score of 92.
Benefits of a walkable city
We are proud that Toronto is ranked as one of the most walkable cities in Canada. Walk Score lists a few facts about healthy city living on their website:
People in walkable neighborhoods weigh 6-10 lbs less.
Walkable places make you happier and healthier.
Short commutes reduce stress and increase community involvement.
So overall, we find that Walk Score is a great way to gauge a city’s or neighbourhood’s walkability, but as we stated, always remember to do extra research on your desired area.
We are looking forward to watching Toronto develop over the coming years and improving that score. We’re confident that we can get into that “Walker’s Paradise” category!
Visit www.walkscore.com to check out your neighbourhood's Walk Score!
