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

Nominations for the annual CAA Worst Roads campaign is now open.

Mar 25, 2025

3 min

Teresa Di Felice
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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.


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Teresa Di Felice

Teresa Di Felice

Assistant Vice President, Government and Community Relations

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

Community & Government RelationsRoad SafetyPolicy AdvocacyTowing RegulationCongestion Management
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