Ottawa, ON, March 22, 2022 – Tired of swerving around potholes? Worried about your safety as a cyclist or pedestrian? Voting is now open for the annual CAA Worst Roads campaign and CAA North & East Ontario (CAANEO) is giving Ontarians the opportunity to voice their concerns about the bad roads in their community.

“We know that through CAA’s research, almost three quarters (72 per cent) of Ontarians are venting about the state of our roads to either their spouses, friends or co-workers and not always to local government officials,” says Jeff Walker, CEO and President of CAA North & East Ontario.

“As we kick off another year of the CAA Worst Roads campaign, we are calling on all Ontarians from Ottawa and Cornwall to North Bay, Thunder Bay and Sudbury to vote for their Worst Roads today and join the community of drivers, cyclists, transit riders and pedestrians committed to improving Ontario’s roads.”

The campaign informs decision-makers across various levels of government which roadway improvements are top of mind for road users, and where improvements could be prioritized. Ontarians can vote on issues ranging from congestion, potholes, poor road signs and the timing of traffic lights to pedestrian and cycling safety.

According to the 2019 Canadian Infrastructure Report Card, a concerning amount of municipal infrastructure is in poor or very poor condition. The report card also highlights spending $1 on pavement preservation may eliminate or delay spending $6-$10 on costly repairs later.

CAA’s research also shows that more than 80 per cent of Ontarians say poor road conditions such as cracks in pavement (89 per cent) and potholes (82 per cent) are still the most common issues in their neighbourhoods. The damage to a vehicle caused by a pothole can range from $300, with some fixes topping $6,000 depending on the make and model of the car.

“As the inventory of vehicles continues to remain scarce due to the global semiconductor chip shortage, more people are now trying to hold on to their cars for longer. Not only can poor roads cause damage to vehicles but they also contribute heavily to the wear and tear of tires and increased fuel consumption which is why the maintenance and quality of our roadways is so important.” added Walker.

Nominations for CAA’s Worst Roads can be cast at caaworstroads.com until April 19. Every vote cast is a chance to win a year of FREE gas.

Once voting is closed, CAA will compile a list of the top 10 Worst Roads in Ontario, along with the top five Worst Roads in regions across the province. The regional lists will help shine further light on the state of local roads in municipalities across Ontario.

CAA will present the list of 2022 Worst Roads to local and provincial officials to help inform future funding and planning decisions.