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Toronto drivers may want to rethink their weekend travel plans as a major road race and a full Don Valley Parkway shutdown are set to create widespread delays across the city.
The Sporting Life 10K Run/Walk is scheduled for Sunday, May 10, 2026, with thousands of runners and walkers taking over a long stretch of Yonge Street and parts of downtown Toronto. The event lands on Motherâs Day weekend, a time when restaurants, shopping areas and major routes are already expected to be busy.
Toronto Police said approximately 21,500 runners are expected for the annual race. Local reports suggest participation could be even higher, with more than 24,000 people connected to the event this year.
The race is more than a traffic event. The Sporting Life 10K raises money for Campfire Circle, a non-profit supporting children affected by cancer or serious illness through hospital, community and camp-based programs. Since 2000, the run has raised more than $29 million for the organization.
Still, for drivers, the timing could be frustrating. Several important roads will be closed early Sunday, while the DVP will also be unavailable for the entire weekend because of scheduled maintenance work.
Where the Sporting Life 10K will run in Toronto
The race begins at 7:30 a.m. at Yonge Street and Glengrove Avenue, near Lawrence Park. From there, runners will move south on Yonge Street all the way toward Front Street.
The route then turns east on Front Street, taking participants toward Cherry Street and the Canary District area. The finish line is located on Front Street at Cherry Street, after which runners will head toward Corktown Common for post-race activities.
That route means traffic impacts will not be limited to one neighbourhood. Drivers in Midtown, downtown, the St. Lawrence area, the Distillery District and the east end could all see delays at different points throughout the morning.
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Full list of Sporting Life 10K road closures
Road closures will begin before sunrise on Sunday as crews prepare the course and secure the event route.
At 4 a.m., these roads will close:
- Yonge Street between Lawrence Avenue and Eglinton Avenue
- Front Street between Trinity Street and Bayview Avenue
- Cherry Street between Eastern Avenue and Mill Street
- Bayview Avenue between River Street and Front Street
At 6:30 a.m., additional closures will begin:
- Yonge Street between Eglinton Avenue and Front Street
- Front Street between Yonge Street and Trinity Street
- Eastern Avenue between Front Street and Trinity Street
Some closures will last much longer than the race itself. From Saturday, May 9 at 7 a.m. until Sunday, May 10 at 5 p.m., these roads will be closed:
- Bayview Avenue between Front Street and Mill Street
- Mill Street between Tannery Road and Bayview Avenue
Most race-related closures on Yonge Street and Front Street are expected to lift around midday, though some roads near Bayview Avenue, Cherry Street and Mill Street may remain closed into the afternoon.
The TTC is also expected to divert several routes because of the race. Anyone relying on buses or streetcars through Midtown or downtown should check service changes before heading out.
DVP closure could make Sunday traffic much worse
The biggest challenge for drivers is that the race is happening during a full Don Valley Parkway closure.
The DVP is closed from Highway 401 to the Gardiner Expresswayâs Jarvis Street ramp from 11 p.m. Friday, May 8 until 5 a.m. Monday, May 11.
The City of Toronto says the closure will allow crews to complete maintenance work, including pothole and crack repairs, bridge inspections, guardrail replacement, lane marking repainting, lighting checks, graffiti removal, debris cleanup and catch basin clearing.
The closure will also support work related to the Eastern Avenue bridge project and Bayview-Bloor ramp improvements.
With the DVP unavailable, more drivers may shift onto local roads such as Don Mills Road, Mount Pleasant Road, Avenue Road, Bayview Avenue, Lake Shore Boulevard, Richmond Street and Adelaide Street. That could create heavier-than-usual traffic across several parts of the city.
Drivers heading to Motherâs Day brunch, downtown events, work, Union Station, the waterfront or the airport should give themselves extra time. The busiest period is likely to be Sunday morning, especially between 6:30 a.m. and noon.
Motorists should avoid Yonge Street, Front Street, Cherry Street, Bayview Avenue and the Distillery District area where possible. Police are also advising drivers to consider alternate routes and avoid the race zone entirely if they do not need to be there.
Race details are available through the official Sporting Life 10K website.
For Toronto residents, the best option may be to plan ahead, check traffic before leaving and use public transit where practical. Between the Sporting Life 10K, TTC diversions and the DVP shutdown, this could be one of the most difficult traffic weekends Toronto has seen this spring.
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