For the first time in decades, IndyCar's Canadian round will not run through downtown Toronto. The series' long-standing summer street race is relocating to the suburb of Markham, Ontario, where crews are racing to finish a brand-new circuit before the inaugural Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham on August 14-16.
The move was forced by scheduling. Exhibition Place, the Toronto race's traditional home, is tied up with FIFA World Cup 2026 events at the time of the race. Promoter Green Savoree Racing Promotions signed a five-year deal to run at the new venue instead.
The Markham layout is a 2.19-mile, 12-turn street circuit threading the roads between Kennedy Road, Enterprise Boulevard and Highway 407, designed by Tony Cotman of NZR Consulting. It features a double-sided pit lane that Mayor Frank Scarpitti has singled out as a "real draw" for fans.
"We are excited to welcome the exhilarating experience of IndyCar Series racing hitting our streets in 2026," Scarpitti said, calling the deal a "major milestone" for the city. "Markham is ready to build on its strong sports legacy and offer a new home where this celebrated summer tradition can thrive."
Getting there has not been cheap. The city is spending more than $12 million on capital works — milling and repaving roads, widening sections, relocating lighting, modifying curbs and building the double pit lane. Scarpitti has been quick to stress where the money is not coming from.
"No property tax funds are being used for capital construction of the temporary street circuit," he said. The city is instead drawing $3.4 million from Destination Markham Corporation's accumulated surplus and funding the rest through a Municipal Accommodation Tax that rose from 4% to 6% on April 1.
Not everyone in Markham is convinced. A CBC report this week canvassed residents who raised concerns about traffic disruption, noise and the use of public money, under the blunt headline "Is the city ready?" Construction is in full swing, with most infrastructure work complete or under way and vendors still being lined up for event support.
The financial logic rests on the crowd showing up. If attendance falls short, the accommodation-tax revenue that underwrites the build takes longer to recover — a risk Scarpitti has acknowledged even as he backs the numbers.
For IndyCar, the bigger prize is continuity. Toronto has been one of the championship's most reliable international dates, and shifting it to a purpose-built suburban layout keeps the Canadian round alive rather than losing it to a World Cup clash. Whether Markham's streets deliver the racing, and the turnout, will not be clear until the green flag drops in August.
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