Toronto Hydro and the City of Toronto want you to report streetlights out

As daylight savings time ends, lighting becomes more important for the safety of residents

TORONTO, Oct. 30, 2015 /CNW/ - Clocks are turning back this weekend, meaning our days are getting shorter.  With fewer daylight hours, Toronto Hydro and the City of Toronto want to encourage residents to report any streetlights that aren't working.

Studies show there is an increase in driver and pedestrian incidents during this time of year, and one way to help drivers and others see better is to ensure the streetlight system is fully operational. 

Residents can report a malfunctioning streetlight three different ways:

• Call the Toronto Hydro hotline at 416-542-8000
• Report online at torontohydro.com/streetlighting
• Call 311 Toronto for help in reporting to Toronto Hydro

Customers should provide as much detail about the location, such as a pole number or street address, if possible.  Alternatively, providing the nearest intersection cross streets will assist crews in locating the problem. 

QUICK FACTS

• There are approximately 175,000 streetlights in the city of Toronto
• Toronto Hydro manages streetlighting on behalf of the City of Toronto
• Pedestrians are encouraged to stay safe by:
  • Using extra caution while crossing roads
  • Trying to make eye contact with drivers before stepping off curb
  • Waiting for vehicles to stop before crossing in front of them
  • Crossing at traffic signals, crosswalks and stop signs on busy roads
• Drivers are encouraged to stay safe by:
  • Slowing down during inclement weather; leaves on the road can cause vehicles to slide
  • Ensuring headlights, brake lights and signals are working. Headlights should be turned on at dusk
  • Avoiding distractions while driving, including eating or using your phone

QUOTES

"Proper lighting is essential to safety, especially in the fall and winter. With so many thousands of streetlights in the city of Toronto, it can be difficult to monitor them all and that's why we rely on residents to let us know what's happening in their neighbourhood."
    -       Tori Gass, Spokesperson, Toronto Hydro

ABOUT TORONTO HYDRO

Toronto Hydro owns and operates an electricity distribution system, which delivers electricity to approximately 747,000 customers located in the city of Toronto. It is the largest municipal electricity distribution company in Canada and distributes approximately 19% of the electricity consumed in the province of Ontario.

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ABOUT THE CITY OF TORONTO

Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us @TorontoComms.

SOURCE Toronto Hydro Corporation

Toronto Hydro: Tori Gass, Communications and Public Relations, 416-903-4037, [email protected]; 24-hours media line: 416-903-6845, [email protected]; City of Toronto: Steve Johnston, 416-392-4391, [email protected]