Toronto bans tobogganing at 45 hills in the city

Image credits: Unsplash/Representative 

(Aanchal Nigam / Red Maple)

In response to safety concerns, the city of Toronto has banned tobogganing at 45 hills, as reported by CTV News. The city's statement highlighted that these locations lack a safe, obstacle-free route from the top to the bottom, with potential hazards like trees, ditches, paths, and fencing.

The issue of tobogganing safety is not a recent. Toronto introduced a toboggan hill inspection program in 2017 to ensure these sites remain safe. Regular assessments have been conducted at popular tobogganing spots ever since. 

In 2022, a city councillor mentioned to CTV News that tobogganing and sledding have always been prohibited in Christie Pits Park due to the associated risks. The previous year, Oshawa debated a complete ban on tobogganing in parks, sparked by a tragic incident on a hill in Ottawa.

Moreover, between 2020 and 2022, Montreal experienced an increase in tobogganing injuries, as reported by Oatley Vigmond. The report pointed out the difficulty in controlling toboggans, often leading to collisions with either objects or people. The report also noted that hidden hazards under the snow on toboggan hills increase the likelihood of serious injuries during this winter activity.

Toronto has identified unsafe tobogganing hills with signage, while those not officially designated for tobogganing are to be used at the individual's own risk. The city's website, toronto.ca/tobogganing, lists all the hills that are confirmed to be safe for tobogganing.