Teresa Di Felice

Assistant Vice President, Government and Community Relations CAA South Central Ontario

  • Thornhill ON

Teresa oversees CAA SCO's advocacy and community relations efforts in Ontario.

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Spotlight

2 min

MEDIA RELEASE: New study reveals pedestrians and cyclists face high-risk near-misses every day in Canada

Every day, pedestrians and cyclists in Canada experience high-risk near-misses that could have resulted in serious injury or fatalities. A new seven-month study, commissioned by CAA, has uncovered over 600,000 near-miss incidents across 20 intersections nationwide, creating the largest dataset of its kind in Canada. While actual collisions are recorded by police, near misses are not. “The findings are clear, near-misses are not isolated events; they are daily warnings that demand attention,” says Teresa Di Felice, Assistant Vice President of Government & Community Relations at CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO). “The results of this study create an opportunity to proactively assess intersection design and implement measures that enhance safety for all road users.” Partnering with Miovision, the study used cameras and AI to monitor and analyze intersections across Canada in real time. Shockingly, one in every 770 pedestrians and one in every 500 cyclists experience a high-risk or critical near-miss. Near-Misses Are Predictors of Future Collisions The study found that near misses most often involved vehicles making a right turn. More than half (55 per cent of pedestrians and 50 per cent of cyclists) had a close call with a vehicle. More than a third (34 per cent of pedestrians and 36 per cent of cyclists) were involved in conflict with a left-turning vehicle. Most Canadian intersections accommodate thousands of pedestrians daily, meaning at least three serious incidents occur at a single location every day. “These aren’t just close calls; they are collisions waiting to happen,” says Di Felice. “By pinpointing near-miss hotspots, municipalities can now prioritize upgrades that prevent collisions before they happen.” Solutions That Make Intersections Safer The study highlights key design features proven to reduce near-misses, including: Dedicated left-turn lanes to prevent dangerous interactions. Leading pedestrian intervals, allowing pedestrians to start crossing before vehicles move. Advanced green lights for left-turning vehicles, reducing hesitation and confusion. Cities that implement these solutions can dramatically decrease the risk of collisions and make their streets safer for all road users. Traditional road safety measures rely on collision data, meaning changes only happen after injuries occur. Near-miss tracking is the next step in proactive safety planning, allowing experts to prevent crashes before they happen. CAA is urging municipal and provincial leaders to embrace technology-driven safety monitoring, citing the compelling benefits revealed by this study. Data was collected using 360-degree cameras at intersections of various designs across seven provinces, including Nova Scotia, Québec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. Using AI-powered video analytics, Miovison was able to detect near misses and assess risk levels based on vehicle speed and trajectory. The study's detailed findings can be found here: CAA Intersection Safety Study Media Broll can be found here: https://vimeo.com/1094061982/90cf023ced

Teresa Di Felice

2 min

MEDIA RELEASE: Hamilton's Aberdeen Avenue named CAA’s Worst Road in Ontario for a second year in a row

Ontarians have spoken, and the results are in. For a second consecutive year, the 2025 CAA Worst Road in Ontario is Aberdeen Avenue in Hamilton. Frustrations with potholes and poor road maintenance have kept this road in the number one spot. It first debuted on the top regional list for Hamilton in 2021 and moved onto the provincial list in 2023. In second and third place are Barton Street East in Hamilton and County Road 49 in Prince Edward County, two roads that have previously appeared on the CAA Worst Roads top 10 list six and seven times, respectively. Both roads are expected to receive significant upgrades and are in the planning stages. "Timely repairs, better communication, quick fixes, pothole funds, and using recycled aggregates are just some solutions to fix unsafe roads," says Teresa Di Felice, assistant vice president of government and community relations, CAA South Central Ontario. "CAA continues to urge all levels of government to prioritize road safety with stable funding to do so." This year, participants nominated over 2,400 different roads from 208 municipalities, up respectively from 2,000 roads from 145 municipalities in 2024 – a 20 per cent increase in roads nominated and a 42 per cent increase in the number of municipalities with roads nominated. Municipalities are responsible for approximately 140,000 kilometres of roads across the province. "For over two decades, the CAA Worst Roads campaign has given Ontarians a voice to spotlight unsafe roads in their communities and push for much-needed repairs,” says Di Felice. "This list provides a powerful snapshot to governments on where to prioritize budgets and move up road repairs, and we know that the public supports these efforts." CAA research shows that 26 per cent of survey respondents expressed dissatisfaction with road work projects, stating that they take multiple seasons to complete. However, 85 per cent are willing to put up with the inconvenience of construction in exchange for long-term improvements. Ontarians shared their primary reasons for selecting a road, with 84 per cent citing potholes, followed by poor road maintenance (77 per cent) and traffic congestion (15 per cent). Ontario's Top 10 Worst Roads for 2025 1. Aberdeen Avenue, Hamilton 2. Barton Street East, Hamilton 3. County Road 49, Prince Edward County 4. Eglinton Avenue West, Toronto 5. Hurontario Street, Mississauga 6. Leveque Road, South Frontenac 7. Highway 50, Caledon 8. Sider Road, Fort Erie 9. Gardiner Expressway, Toronto 10. Sheppard Avenue West, Toronto Worst Roads by Region Toronto – Eglinton Avenue West Hamilton – Aberdeen Avenue Halton-Peel-York-Durham— Hurontario Street, Mississauga Central—7th Line, Innisfil Eastern— County Road 49, Prince Edward County Niagara— Sider Road, Fort Erie North— Panache Lake Road, Greater Sudbury Southwest— Banwell Road, Windsor Western— Dundas Street, London Ottawa— Carling Avenue For the complete list of the 2025 Worst Roads, please visit www.caasco.com/worstroads The Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario (RCCAO) has verified Ontario's top 10 list. CAA is proud to have RCCAO as a technical partner in the CAA Worst Roads advocacy campaign.

Teresa Di Felice

3 min

MEDIA RELEASE: Nominate now: the annual CAA Worst Roads campaign kicks off

The nomination portal for the annual CAA Worst Roads campaign is now open, and CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) is giving Ontarians the opportunity to voice their concerns about the bad roads in their communities. “Our research shows that 85 per cent of Ontarians are concerned about the state of our roads,” says Teresa Di Felice, assistant vice president of government and community relations, CAA SCO. “The campaign has been a vital platform for Ontarians to nominate roads they believe need urgent attention. It allows Ontarians to drive positive change in their communities by amplifying their voices.” Survey Reveals High Cost of Vehicle Damage from Poor Roads According to a survey conducted by CAA SCO, nearly half of respondents have experienced vehicle damage because of poor roads. Eighty-one per cent pay out of pocket to repair their vehicle, only three per cent file a claim with their personal auto insurance, and nine per cent forego repairs altogether. Vehicle damage caused by potholes and poor road maintenance can range from $500 to over $2,000. The average repair by those surveyed cost $933, a significant $81 increase from 2024. “With the increasing cost of living, many people hold on to their cars for longer when damaged, the last thing they need is expensive repair bills on an already stretched household budget,” adds Di Felice. The survey also found that cracked pavement remains the most dominant road-related issue (88 per cent), followed by potholes (84 per cent) and congestion (81 per cent – up four per cent from 2024). One of the highest-climbing road-related issues Members reported is reduced or closed lanes, where 78 per cent of respondents agreed it is common in their region—up six per cent from last year. “The frustration from motorists is evident,” says Di Felice, “congestion continues to grow as one of the top road-related concerns for Ontarians, and the CAA Worst Roads campaign allows governments the insight into what repairs need to be prioritized for their communities.” More than half of respondents (64 per cent) also agreed that not enough is currently being done to maintain the roads in their area. Decision-Makers Respond to the Worst Roads Campaign “We know that the campaign works and that decision-makers are listening. Since the start of the campaign, we have seen budgets prioritized and road repairs moved up,” says Di Felice, “in the last four campaigns, we have seen ten roads receive attention because of their nomination in the CAA Worst Roads campaign.” Ontario’s top 10 list is verified by the Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario (RCCAO) and its members, including the Greater Toronto Sewer and Watermain Contractors Association (GTSWCA), Heavy Construction Association of Toronto (HCAT), and the Toronto and Area Road Builders Association (TARBA). Nominations for the Worst Roads campaign can be submitted online at www.caaworstroads.com from March 25 to April 18. Once the nominations are collected, CAA will reveal the top 10 worst roads in the province to the public. CAA conducted an online survey with 2,370 CAA SCO Members between January 6 to 14, 2025. Based on the sample size and the confidence level (95 per cent), the margin of error for this study was +/2 per cent.

Teresa Di Felice
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Biography

Teresa is the Assistant Vice President of Government & Community Relations at CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO), Canada's largest CAA Club. She has been with CAA since 2005.

Road safety for all users is a key focus of CAA Club Group’s advocacy portfolio. Teresa is responsible for the overall direction and execution of the organization’s advocacy strategies and programs — including one of Canada’s largest elementary school safety programs, the CAA School Safety Patrol program — representing and raising awareness on relevant issues to over 2 million CAA Members and with policymakers in Ontario. She also coordinates public affairs strategies, particularly provincial government relations, with CAA's two other Ontario based clubs and works with CAA National on a number of public and government affairs files.

Teresa’s breadth and range of knowledge on infrastructure, transportation, safety, automotive and industry issues related to CAA’s work has resulted in many contributions to the development and execution of sound public policy. These include input into the province’s cycling strategy, being a member of the Premier’s panel on the Transit Investment Strategy, tow industry reform and on the transition team of the Mayor of Toronto, to name a few.

Over the last three years Teresa has released two Conference Board of Canada reports related to how much motorists contribute to the cost of infrastructure and various tools and strategies related to mitigating congestion.

Industry Expertise

Public Policy
Government Relations
Legislative Office
Automotive
Safety
Highways / Railtracks

Areas of Expertise

Community & Government Relations
Road Safety
Policy Advocacy
Towing Regulation
Congestion Management
Roadside Assistance
Electric and Hybrid Vehicles
Cannabis and Road Safety

Education

University of Toronto, Victoria University

B.A.

Political Science and Criminology

Media Appearances

Hamilton’s Aberdeen Avenue is worst road in Ontario for 2024, CAA says

Global News  online

2024-05-28

For the third year in a row, Hamilton is home to the worst road in Ontario.

Aberdeen Avenue has climbed to number one on the CAA Worst Roads list for 2024, dethroning Barton Street East which was number one in 2022 and 2023.

Teresa Di Felice, assistant VP of government and community relations for CAA South Central Ontario, says the association has been watching Aberdeen Avenue for some time, putting it in the top ten last year.

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Here’s CAA top 10 worst road in Ontario for 2024 | Worst road in Ontario

CTV News  tv

2024-05-28

CAA South Central Ontario has released its annual 2024 CAA Worst Roads list. Spokesperson Teresa Di Felice speaks on which road topped the list, and other findings.

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Hamilton’s Aberdeen Avenue voted worst road in Ontario

CHCH News  tv

2024-05-28

For the third year in a row, Hamilton has paved its way to the top of CAA’s worst road list.

Aberdeen Avenue has been named the worst road in Ontario for 2024.

The road first appeared on the automobile association's top ten charts last year, coming in eighth place.

It isn’t just potholes and poor road maintenance that makes it a terrible road however, CAA says that 13 per cent of the people it polled made their decision based on traffic congestion.

“We know that the City of Hamilton has been looking at some various road safety initiatives and I think sometimes these change management projects around how to make everybody safer to cause some changes to how the traffic can get around."

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