Published 30 October 2026 · By Jatin Dua, Broker of Record, RE/MAX Quantum Realty
The five most walkable neighbourhoods in Etobicoke, in my view, are New Toronto (neighbourhood Walk Score 72), the Kingsway along Bloor Street West (96 at Bloor and Royal York), Long Branch (90 at Lake Shore and Long Branch Avenue), the Village of Islington (91 at Dundas and Islington) and Mimico (two BIAs and a GO station). The order is my judgement, not an official ranking.
How I chose these five
I used two kinds of evidence. The first is Walk Score, which I checked page by page in October 2026: its Toronto neighbourhood table, and individual scores for the main intersection on each shopping street. The second is what is actually on the street, confirmed through the City of Toronto’s list of Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) and TTC and GO Transit pages.
Walk Score’s neighbourhood table uses the City’s older neighbourhood boundaries, and some Etobicoke areas, including Islington-City Centre West and Kingsway South, do not appear in it. For those I used the intersection score at the heart of the main street instead, and I say which is which.
A neighbourhood average and an intersection score measure different things. The intersection tells you what life is like on the high street; the neighbourhood number tells you how quickly that drops off as you walk away from it. I weighed both, plus whether there is a subway or GO station in walking range.
Two near misses are worth naming. Stonegate-Queensway has a busy shopping street, with the Shop The Queensway BIA running from Park Lawn Road to just west of Kipling Avenue, but its neighbourhood Walk Score is 50, ranked 63rd. Etobicoke West Mall (57) and Alderwood (55) score higher than that, yet neither has a main street I could point to the way I can for my five.
1. New Toronto
What makes it walkable
New Toronto has the highest neighbourhood Walk Score of any Etobicoke area I found in Walk Score’s Toronto table: 72, ranked 19th in the city. The intersection of Lake Shore Boulevard West and Islington Avenue scores 93, which Walk Score labels a “Walker’s Paradise.”
The spine is the Lakeshore Village BIA, which the City says runs along Lake Shore Boulevard West from Dwight Avenue to Twelfth Street and includes more than 150 businesses, from shops and cafés to health and wellness providers.
What it means for buyers and renters
The housing mix is wide. Wikipedia’s account of New Toronto notes that the former Goodyear plant lands, closed in 1987, are now co-operative housing, townhouses, condos and a park, alongside the older numbered streets.
Practical notes
- Main street: Lake Shore Boulevard West, Dwight Avenue to Twelfth Street.
- Transit: Lake Shore Boulevard West is a streetcar corridor ending at Long Branch Loop; check the TTC for current routing.
- Walk Score (neighbourhood): 72. Lake Shore and Islington: 93.
2. The Kingsway along Bloor Street West
What makes it walkable
Bloor Street West at Royal York Road has the highest intersection score I checked in Etobicoke: 96, a “Walker’s Paradise,” with a Transit Score of 82. Kingsway South is not in Walk Score’s neighbourhood table, so I am relying on the intersection here.
The Kingsway BIA runs along Bloor Street West between Prince Edward Drive and Mimico Creek. The City describes it as specialty shops, restaurants, pubs and cafés, a preserved theatre, and professional and medical services.
What it means for buyers and renters
This is the one pick on my list with a subway station in the middle of the shopping street. Royal York station, at 955 Royal York Road on Line 2, is listed by the TTC as accessible with three elevators, which matters if you are planning to stay long-term.
Walkability falls off as you go uphill into the residential streets, which is why I would test the walk from any specific house before buying.
Practical notes
- Main street: Bloor Street West, Prince Edward Drive to Mimico Creek.
- Transit: Royal York station (Line 2), with connecting bus routes including 73 Royal York and 76 Royal York South.
- Walk Score at Bloor and Royal York: 96.
3. Long Branch
What makes it walkable
Long Branch has a neighbourhood Walk Score of 64, ranked 30th in Toronto. At Lake Shore Boulevard West and Long Branch Avenue, the score rises to 90.
The Long Branch BIA, established in 1987, runs along Lake Shore Boulevard West from Twenty Second Street to Long Branch Avenue, with retail shops, services and restaurants.
What it means for buyers and renters
Long Branch combines a small main street with two rail options. Long Branch GO station, which opened in 1967 beside the Long Branch Loop, is on the Lakeshore West line between Port Credit and Mimico.
The lakefront is a big part of daily walking here. Marie Curtis Park and Long Branch Park are the public lakeshore areas; the rest of the shoreline is mostly private.
Practical notes
- Main street: Lake Shore Boulevard West, Twenty Second Street to Long Branch Avenue.
- Transit: Long Branch GO (Lakeshore West) and the streetcar loop beside it.
- Walk Score (neighbourhood): 64. Lake Shore and Long Branch: 90.
4. Village of Islington
What makes it walkable
Dundas Street West at Islington Avenue scores 91, a “Walker’s Paradise,” with a Transit Score of 79. The surrounding Islington-City Centre West area is not ranked in Walk Score’s neighbourhood table, so the intersection is my measure.
The Village of Islington BIA, established in 1986, runs along Dundas Street West from Montgomery Road to Kipling Avenue. The City lists retail, health and wellness providers, restaurants, pubs and professional services, and the BIA is home to 28 murals depicting the area’s history.
What it means for buyers and renters
This is a short, compact strip, which is part of its appeal. The mural walk gives the street a character you do not get on a typical arterial road, and the BIA runs guided group tours.
The area has also changed around it. The Six Points interchange was rebuilt between 2017 and 2020 into at-grade intersections, which restored pedestrian connections west of the village.
Practical notes
- Main street: Dundas Street West, Montgomery Road to Kipling Avenue.
- Transit: Line 2 at Islington and Kipling stations. The TTC lists Kipling as having elevators; Islington is not on that list, so check the TTC accessibility page.
- Walk Score at Dundas and Islington: 91.
5. Mimico
What makes it walkable
Mimico’s neighbourhood Walk Score is 62, ranked 32nd in Toronto, and Lake Shore Boulevard West at Royal York Road scores 76. Walk Score counts about 145 restaurants, bars and coffee shops in Mimico.
Mimico has two BIAs. Mimico by the Lake runs along Lake Shore Boulevard West between Allen Avenue and Alexander Street, and Mimico Village runs along Royal York Road from Evans Avenue south to Judson Street at the GO station.
What it means for buyers and renters
Mimico is the largest of my five, with a population of 26,270 in Walk Score’s table, and it includes very different streets. Close to Lake Shore or Royal York Road it is easy to live without a car; further north it is more car-dependent.
The waterfront adds a walking route of its own. Mimico Linear Park, which opened its first phase in 2008, links small lakefront parks with boardwalks.
Practical notes
- Main streets: Lake Shore Boulevard West (Allen Avenue to Alexander Street) and Royal York Road (Evans Avenue to Judson Street).
- Transit: Mimico GO on the Lakeshore West line, plus the Lake Shore streetcar corridor.
- Walk Score (neighbourhood): 62. Lake Shore and Royal York: 76.
The five at a glance
| Neighbourhood | Neighbourhood Walk Score | Main-street intersection score | Rail transit | Main shopping street |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Toronto | 72 (19th in Toronto) | 93 (Lake Shore and Islington) | None in the area; streetcar on Lake Shore | Lake Shore Blvd W |
| The Kingsway | Not ranked | 96 (Bloor and Royal York) | Royal York station, Line 2 | Bloor St W |
| Long Branch | 64 (30th) | 90 (Lake Shore and Long Branch) | Long Branch GO | Lake Shore Blvd W |
| Village of Islington | Not ranked | 91 (Dundas and Islington) | Islington and Kipling stations, Line 2 | Dundas St W |
| Mimico | 62 (32nd) | 76 (Lake Shore and Royal York) | Mimico GO | Lake Shore Blvd W, Royal York Rd |
What this means if you’re buying or selling in Etobicoke
If walkability is on your list, focus on distance to the main street rather than the neighbourhood name. In every one of these five, the intersection score is far higher than the neighbourhood average, which tells you the walkable part is a band a few blocks deep along the high street.
Three of the five sit along Lake Shore Boulevard West, so south Etobicoke is where most of the walkable choice is. The Kingsway and the Village of Islington offer the subway instead, which is the stronger option if you commute downtown on Line 2. Note that Line 5 Eglinton does not serve Etobicoke; its western extension is still under construction.
If you are selling a house within a few blocks of one of these main streets, say so plainly in the listing and give the walking time to the station or the nearest grocery. Buyers who prioritise walking search for exactly that, and a specific distance is more convincing than a general claim.
When I help buyers compare houses, I map the walk to groceries, a pharmacy and transit from the actual front door. For families weighing schools and parks alongside walkability, my guide to the best Etobicoke neighbourhoods for families covers the trade-offs.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the most walkable neighbourhood in Etobicoke?
In Walk Score’s Toronto neighbourhood table, New Toronto has the highest score of the Etobicoke areas listed, at 72, ranked 19th in Toronto. For a single intersection, Bloor Street West and Royal York Road in the Kingsway scored highest of those I checked, at 96. Some Etobicoke areas are not ranked in the table.
Is Mimico walkable?
Mimico has a neighbourhood Walk Score of 62, ranked 32nd in Toronto, and Lake Shore Boulevard West at Royal York Road scores 76. It has two BIAs, Mimico by the Lake and Mimico Village, and Mimico GO station on the Lakeshore West line. The streets near Lake Shore and Royal York are the most walkable part.
Which Etobicoke neighbourhoods are near the subway?
Line 2 runs through the Kingsway at Royal York station and through the Islington area at Islington and Kipling stations. The TTC lists Royal York and Kipling as having elevators. Line 5 Eglinton does not serve Etobicoke, and its western extension is still under construction.
Does Long Branch have a GO station?
Yes. Long Branch GO station opened in 1967 beside the Long Branch Loop and is on the Lakeshore West line, between Port Credit and Mimico. The Long Branch BIA runs along Lake Shore Boulevard West from Twenty Second Street to Long Branch Avenue, a short walk from the station.
Why is a neighbourhood Walk Score lower than its main street?
Walk Score rates single locations out of 100 and also publishes neighbourhood averages. An average blends busy main streets with quieter residential pockets, so it comes out lower. In Long Branch, for example, the neighbourhood scores 64 while Lake Shore Boulevard West at Long Branch Avenue scores 90, a ‘Walker’s Paradise’.
Sources
- Living in Toronto: neighbourhood Walk Scores — Walk Score
- Lake Shore Blvd W & Islington Ave — Walk Score
- Bloor St W & Royal York Rd — Walk Score
- Dundas St W & Islington Ave — Walk Score
- Lake Shore Blvd W & Long Branch Ave — Walk Score
- BIA List F–P — City of Toronto
- BIA List Q–Y — City of Toronto
- Elevators and Escalators — TTC
Related reading
- Top 5 Inspection Red Flags in Older Etobicoke Homes (2026)
- Top 5 Home Upgrades That Add the Most Value in Toronto (2026)
- Top 5 Etobicoke Condos for Downsizers (2026)
- Top 5 Events in Etobicoke
About the author — Jatin Dua, Toronto and GTA real estate broker
I am Jatin Dua, Broker of Record and co-founder of RE/MAX Quantum Realty Inc., Brokerage, Unit 101, 799 The Queensway, Toronto. I work with buyers and sellers across Toronto and the GTA and have helped more than 100 families sell. Four-plus years of active GTA transactions and over $100 million in sales volume. Every figure here comes from a published table, regulator or statute linked in the sources, so you can check all of it without asking me.
Reach me at [email protected] or 833-330-1925, or book a call.