Toronto pedestrian deaths mark a 'crisis' in this city, says Jennifer Keesmaat

Toronto's former chief planner is warning that this city faces a crisis when it comes to the number of pedestrians killed on its streets.

Jennifer Keesmaaturged city hall to make protecting those on foot its top priority while moderating a panel discussion at the University of Toronto Thursday that also featured the city's general manager of transportation, Barbara Gray.

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There have already been eight pedestrian deaths in the city this year, which prompted a safety blitz fromToronto police. However, Keesmaatis blaming many of the deaths on how the city's roads are set up.

"Our streets are unsafe,"KeesmaattoldCBCToronto after the talk.

"Children and elderly people ... are at risk going about their daily lives because of the design of our streets. It's something we can change. It's within our power to change it."

Graysaidthe city is eyeing changes to what she calls problematic areas, noting the goal is to make fixes before there's a fatality. Streets where there are long sections without pedestrian crossings, which are common in Toronto's inner-suburbs, are of particular concern.

"We have to consider how we can break those blocks up," Graysaid.

Jeff Risom,a Copenhagen-based urban designer with the firm Gehl, was also on hand for the discussion. He suggested while Vision Zero the city initiative aimed at reducing traffic-related deaths is a good starting point, it's also "completely unambitious."

Risomsaidwhat marks success is people being able to get around safely, regardless of how they choose to travel, and also feeling comfortable and free to stop in at a shop or pull up a seat in an urban space for a while.

"Our streets need to be providing value ...they need to be the economic life blood of our cities. And, of course, they shouldn't kill us," he said.

However, Keesmaatsaid safety does need to come first in Toronto, arguing until people can safely cross the street,"I don't really give a s**t about the quality of the benches."