Burlington's traffic debate has intensified after an insurance comparison website ranked the city as the second most dangerous place to drive in Ontario, a label local officials said is not supported by collision statistics.
On Feb. 26, 2026, Toronto-based platform MyChoice released a report titled “Top 10 Safest and Most Dangerous Cities for Driving in Ontario in 2026,” naming Toronto as the safest city and Burlington as the second most dangerous. After questions from BurlingtonLocal‑News.ca, the company said its analysis was not based on official collision records but on more than 200,000 auto insurance quote requests submitted between 2020 and 2025, using drivers’ self‑reported accidents and infractions. It described the rankings as reflecting insurance risk, not the total number of crashes occurring within each municipality.
According to the Ontario Road Safety Annual Report, Burlington recorded 1,505 collisions in 2022, compared with about 9,060 in Brampton and more than 32,000 in Toronto. Adjusted for population, Brampton had roughly 1,208 collisions per 100,000 residents, Toronto about 1,081 and Brantford about 1,258. Burlington’s rate was approximately 805 collisions per 100,000 residents, placing it well below those cities.
Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman said the methodology behind the MyChoice ranking makes it hard to draw firm conclusions about safety in Burlington. He noted that the analysis appears to be based on where drivers live, not necessarily where collisions occur, and said city staff have no way to verify whether the findings reflect actual on‑the‑ground conditions.
While he questions the ranking, Sharman acknowledged traffic is one of the most frequent concerns raised by residents. He pointed to recent maintenance closures on the Burlington Skyway, which have exacerbated already heavy peak‑hour congestion and pushed more highway traffic onto local streets when backups occur. Vehicles leaving the QEW at interchanges such as Third Line and Burloak often spill into neighborhood roads for hours during the evening rush, he said.
Ongoing development proposals are also fueling anxiety about future congestion, with residents worried that additional high‑density projects will further strain key corridors.
At the same time, Sharman argued that Burlington’s transit network, built around large buses and fixed routes, does not work well for many older adults or those living farther from main lines. The city has around 12,000 residents over 75, yet daily transit ridership is only in the low thousands. He has suggested the city explore smaller, on‑demand electric shuttles within neighborhoods to give seniors and other drivers a viable alternative to private cars.
City officials are now seeking more public input on how to tackle congestion and safety concerns.
Sharman and Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns will host a Burlington Community Traffic Forum on April 1 at the Art Gallery of Burlington, bringing together representatives from Halton Regional Police, Burlington Transit, the city’s transportation department and other stakeholders.
Whether or not Burlington deserves to be labeled one of Ontario’s “most dangerous” driving cities, Sharman says the underlying message from residents is consistent: they want to see tangible progress on traffic and mobility, rather than just debate over rankings.
