So you’ve been driving through Toronto’s pothole ridden streets when your car hits one of those road ruts head on.

Before you know it, your front end is out of alignment and your back end is in spasm.

And your car’s not so good, either.

If one of those gigantic gaps damages your automobile, do you have any way of getting the city or the province to repair it? Turns out you do, but like most things in government, you have to cut through some red tape to do it.

Here’s how to stake your claim and undo the damage:

City of Toronto

First you have to prove it was the city’s fault. Toronto’s legal department never pays out a claim without a thorough investigation first.

Needless to say, the powers-that-be suggest you go through your insurance company first.

But if you decide to pursue the complaint, you have to submit it in writing. The claim has to include the time, date and location of the incident, a description of what happened, and a damage estimate.

And don’t wait. Any such bid for compensation has to be done, in the city’s underlined words, “immediately”.

Address your note to:

City Clerk’s Office,
City Hall,
100 Queen Street West,
Toronto.
M5H 2N2

Fax: (416) 392-1867

Or you can email: [email protected]

But even then you’re not finished. Two weeks later, you’ll get another letter in the mail acknowledging receipt of your complaint and if it’s found valid, another form to fill out.

For more information, call (416) 397-4212.


Ontario Highways

The needs are similar to the city, but the envelope or email goes somewhere else.

Mail a comprehensive claim that includes the time, date and location where the damage occurred, and include copies of any relevant documents – like a repair bill or an estimate.

Send it to:

Management Board Secretariat
Risk Management & Insurance Services
700 University Avenue,
6th Floor,
Toronto.
M7A 2S4

Here’s where more government red tape comes in. You can fax the information if you want to (416) 314-4444 - but you have to follow it up with a mailed letter either way. And you may have to wait up to three months for an answer.

Call (416) 314-3443 more information.

Finally, there’s a way to get even with the pothole that did you in. In Toronto, call (416) 599-9090, and then push #164. A crew will assess the problem and if it’s serious, it will be fixed within 48-72 hours.

If you come across a hiccup on the highway, call (416) 235-4686 or toll-free at 1-800-268-4686.