Potholes are showing up all over the area – from Hamilton to St. Catharines, drivers report they’re navigating around these craters and feeling the impact on their wallets.
“It’s kinda like a game of zigzag where you’re driving down the road trying to avoid those potholes,” said Hamilton resident Andrew Johnson.
We’re nearly halfway through winter and the damage it’s causing is evident on Ontario roads, transforming once smooth surfaces into crater-filled paths – making drivers grip their steering wheels tightly and brace for expenses.
“The suspension, I had to fix a couple of times because there’s a lot of holes,” said Hamilton resident Jesus Hernandez.
Potholes form due to a mix of water getting in, cycles of freezing and thawing, plus the weight of traffic.
Drivers say these potholes aren’t just irritating – they’re hard to avoid.
“You know, the potholes are one of those things that you just kinda learn to live with in Hamilton. We spent a lot of time in the north end of Hamilton and getting down there from where we live in Ancaster can be quite the adventure to say the least,” said Johnson.
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Complaints about potholes in Hamilton are backed up by statistics. According to the Canadian Automobile Association’s Top 10 Worst Roads in Ontario list for 2025, Hamilton tops the charts, but not for good reasons.
The top two spots go to Aberdeen Avenue at number one and Barton Street East at number two.
This issue isn’t confined to just Hamilton. In St. Catharines, one street ranked as fifth worst in the Niagara Region – showing that potholes don’t care about city borders.
“Facer [Street] has the most. They fixed a few but there are still quite a few more potholes to be fixed,” said St. Catharines resident Shawn Horvat.
“It could be a really big road safety concern. If you’re seeing a pothole and you swerve to avoid it and you’re not paying attention to your surroundings, which could cause an accident,” said Brian Pirvu, CAA government relations consultant.
CAA mentions that repairs from pothole damage can lead to hefty bills for drivers.
“It can range from a cost of $300 to up to $2,000 to fix the vehicle due to pothole damage,” said Pirvu.
Meanwhile, Operation Smooth Roads is happening in Niagara Falls – a $4.2 million project expected to finish this summer. Officials are also promoting an online tool for reporting potholes in the city.
“I imagine everybody is calling because when people hit that thing, it’s pretty deep. It’s definitely causing damage,” said St. Catharines resident Christian Brooker
Until repairs get underway, drivers are advised to slow down, stay alert and keep both hands on their steering wheels.
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