# Waymo is coming to Toronto, with driverless rides planned for 2028

> The robotaxi company will map and test in Toronto first, learning snow, streetcars and cyclists before going driverless.

- Published: 2026-10-16T13:00:00.000Z
- By: The Circuit Staff
- Type: News
- Topics: AI
- URL: https://thecircuit.ca/posts/2026-10-16-waymo-toronto-2028/

Waymo has confirmed it will start testing its driverless ride-hailing service in Toronto, its first Canadian city, with a public launch planned for **2028**, [MobileSyrup reports via BlogTO](https://mobilesyrup.com/2026/10/16/self-driving-waymo-taxis-toronto-2028/).

Waymo describes a phased rollout:

1. **Mapping:** high-definition maps of Toronto's streets.
2. **Supervised testing:** with trained specialists behind the wheel.
3. **Driverless service:** only once those stages are complete.

Waymo says it will adapt to local conditions, including snow, streetcars stopping in mixed traffic, and cyclists. Toronto-based **Element Fleet Management** will manage the fleet and plans to invest in hundreds of local jobs.

"Expanding into Canada marks an important milestone in Waymo's global journey," said co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana.

Still unannounced: fleet size, vehicles, and the provincial and municipal approvals Waymo will need. Its lobbyists first pitched Toronto City Hall in 2025.

**Why it matters:** Toronto's winters, streetcars and cyclists make it a serious test for a driverless service. If it works here, the rest of Canada looks a lot more realistic. The open questions are local: how Ontario and the city regulate it, what happens to ride-hail and taxi drivers, and whether the service eventually reaches beyond downtown.