Toronto man runs weekly races against TTC streetcars, keeps winning

A Leslieville resident is on a mission to find out whether he can outrun Toronto’s streetcars.
So far, he’s seven-for-seven in beating transit along multiple city routes.
“I’ve won all of them and I think I’ve won all of them by quite a margin,” said Mac Bauer.
The runner, who is posting his weekly challenges of ‘Man vs. Machine’ to his Instagram account, first came up with the idea for this challenge during an especially long streetcar ride home.
Keeping record of his race times while running the full routes of the chosen streetcar, he’s won by as long as 25 minutes — even taking a snack break at a Tim Horton’s while outrunning one.
Bauer hopes he can highlight the need for better infrastructure to improve transit efficiency.

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“If we want TTC or the streetcars to be a positive experience — and definitely a more efficient experience than driving — we have to update the infrastructure to at least have its own lanes,” Bauer said.
“When we see a car that’s moving single people holding up a streetcar that is moving 50 to 100 people, it doesn’t make it a more appealing option.”
Walking towards a streetcar line, Bauer points out to Global News a streetcar getting stuck in traffic as it goes through Chinatown.
He believes a lack of designated streetcar lanes or left-turn signal priority largely contributes to his ability to outrun the streetcars.
According to Bauer, the streetcars do move quickly, but slow in the downtown core — that’s when he makes up a lot of time.
“I’m not out here hating on the TTC, I think for the most part it does a fairly decent job,” said Bauer. “But, there are a lot of places for improvements. And — as Torontonians — we deserve better.”
Global News reached out to City of Toronto and TTC, neither was able to provide comment.
For Bauer, his next challenge will be taking on the St. Clair line.
He’s more optimistic for its shot at beating him, as there is a designated lane for streetcars — but, still no signal priority.
“I’m hoping in the future it is a tighter race,” he said. “I’m hoping that St. Clair can actually win.”
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.


Spirits maker Diageo will cease operations at its bottling facility in Amherstburg, Ont., early next year, as it shifts some bottling volume to the U.S., the company announced on Thursday.
The facility, which bottles Crown Royal products, will close in February in a move aimed at improving its North American supply chain.

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About 200 jobs will be affected.
“This was a difficult decision, but one that is crucial to improving the efficiency and resiliency of our supply chain network,” Marsha McIntosh, Diageo’s president of North America supply, said in a statement.
Diageo said it will engage with the community and find ways to support its employees through the transition, and work alongside Unifor to assist unionized workers.
The company said it will still maintain a “significant” footprint in Canada — including its headquarters and warehouse operations in the Greater Toronto Area, and bottling and distillation facilities in Manitoba and Quebec.
McIntosh added the company’s Crown Royal products will continue to be mashed, distilled and aged at its Canadian facilities.
© 2025 The Canadian Press

Toronto police say a 33-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly striking two men with his car Wednesday evening.
Officers say they responded to reports of a collision in the area of Don Mills Road and Gateway Boulevard in the city’s North York neighbourhood just before 10:30 p.m.

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Police say two men got into an argument, leading to one man getting into his car and hitting the other man with it.
They say the man then put his car into reverse, striking a second man.
A man in his 50s was transported to hospital with serious injuries and the second man, in his 20s, had minor injuries.
Police say the suspect from Markham, Ont., faces several other charges as well, including two counts of assault with a weapon, uttering threats and dangerous driving.
© 2025 The Canadian Press

A court document shows a Lindsay, Ont., man facing charges for allegedly breaking into an apartment was carrying a crossbow when he was confronted by a tenant.
The resident, Jeremy David McDonald, is also facing assault charges in the incident on Aug. 18 — a fact that has generated widespread interest in the case.
Police information filed in court alleges that Michael Kyle Breen damaged a window and screen at McDonald’s home and carried a crossbow.
The court document says the 41-year-old Breen is charged with break and enter, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, mischief under $5,000 and failing to comply with a probation order.

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Police have said that Breen, who is scheduled to appear in court for a bail hearing next week, was already wanted for unrelated offences.
McDonald, the 44-year-old resident, was charged with aggravated assault and assault with a weapon after he allegedly “did endanger the life” of Breen.
Premier Doug Ford blasted the decision to charge the apartment resident, saying last week that it shows “something is broken.”
Kawartha Lakes Police Chief Kirk Robertson wrote in a statement Wednesday that he recognizes the incident has generated significant public interest and “emotional” responses, but called some of the reaction “unjust and inaccurate.”
Robertson wrote that individuals have the right to defend themselves and their property, but the law requires that any defensive action be proportionate to the threat faced.
“This means that while homeowners do have the right to protect themselves and their property, the use of force must be reasonable given the circumstances,” he wrote.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
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