Toronto DUI & Impaired Driving Defence

Life in Toronto and the Risk of a DUI

Toronto’s mix of nightlife, entertainment, and professional life means police are always on the lookout for impaired drivers. Concerts, sporting events, rooftop patios, and festivals often lead to increased RIDE programs, particularly near the DVP, Gardiner Expressway, and downtown.

Common situations include:

• Leaving a bar, dinner, or event thinking you are under the limit
• Driving shortly after cannabis use
• Morning-after charges after a late night
• Being stopped at a RIDE program with no obvious driving error

Even a single impaired driving charge, “Over 80,” or refusal can have significant and lasting consequences.

Understanding DUI Charges in Toronto

In Ontario, impaired driving is a criminal offence. You may face charges for:

• Operating a vehicle with BAC over 0.08 (“Over 80”)
• Driving while impaired by alcohol, cannabis, or other drugs
• Refusing or failing to provide a breath or blood sample

A conviction can result in:

• A criminal record
• Minimum one-year licence suspension
• Mandatory education or treatment programs
• Fines or jail time
• Increased insurance premiums
• Potential loss of professional licensing
• Travel restrictions, including to the United States

Where Toronto DUI Cases Are Heard

All impaired driving cases in Toronto are heard at the Toronto Courthouse, 10 Armoury Street. This modern facility replaced several older courthouses and now serves as the single Ontario Court of Justice location for criminal cases in the city.

Given that our head office is in Toronto, we regularly appear in this courthouse and understand how Toronto Crown Attorneys manage impaired driving cases, as well as the strategies that can be effective in this jurisdiction.

Enforcement in Toronto

• Toronto Police Service (TPS): Citywide enforcement, including the Marine Unit for boating cases on Lake Ontario and the Toronto Islands.
• Ontario Provincial Police (OPP): Patrols the major 400 series highways such as the 401 and 407, where roadside stops often lead to charges.

Our Approach to Defending DUI Charges

Every case starts with a review of the disclosure and police conduct:

• Was the traffic stop lawful
• Were your Charter rights upheld
• Were breath tests administered properly
• Did police meet all required legal timelines
• Did the officer correctly conduct the Standard Field Sobriety Testing or Drug Recognition Evaluation?

We tailor a defence plan to your situation, whether negotiating for a reduced charge, challenging the evidence, or proceeding to trial.

Who We Defend in Toronto

Our clients include:

• Professionals whose licences and reputations are at stake
• University students (U of T, TMU, York)
• Visitors attending concerts, sports, or conventions
• Boaters charged near the Toronto Islands
• Toronto residents charged while visiting cottage country

Why Choose Christopher A. Avery for Toronto DUI Defence

• Low-volume, high-focus approach for each case
• Detailed familiarity with 10 Armoury Street courthouse procedures
• Insight into Toronto Police Service and OPP enforcement patterns
• Strategic defence for “Over 80,” refusal, and impaired charges
• Clear, practical communication throughout the process

Act Now to Protect Your Future

If you have been charged, timing matters. The earlier we begin, the more options we have to protect your record, your licence, and your livelihood. Call today for a confidential consultation.

How much does a DUI lawyer cost in Toronto?

The cost of defending an impaired driving charge depends on what the case requires. A straightforward case that can be resolved without a trial will cost less than a case requiring a contested trial, expert evidence or additional court time.

At AveryLaw, the initial consultation is free. We will explain our fees before you decide whether to retain us, including what is covered and what additional costs could arise if the case proceeds further. Flexible payment arrangements are available.

We do not recommend deciding whether to defend an impaired driving charge based on price alone. Before making that decision, you should understand the evidence against you, the available defences, the consequences of a conviction and the likely cost of defending the case.

Impaired Driving Defence Across Toronto

Toronto impaired driving charges can look very different depending on where the investigation begins. A late-night RIDE stop after a Leafs game downtown is not the same case as a high-speed stop on the 401 or 427, or a collision investigation on a residential street. We defend impaired driving charges arising throughout Toronto, including downtown, North York, Scarborough and Etobicoke.

Downtown Toronto

Downtown impaired driving investigations often begin where you would expect them to: after concerts, sporting events, dinners and nights out in the Entertainment District, or at RIDE programs and traffic stops around the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway.

The location and circumstances of the stop matter. Police may be dealing with heavy traffic, large numbers of drivers leaving an event, roadside screening demands, observations of alleged impairment, or an investigation that continues at a police station after an arrest. We examine what caused the police interaction, what the officer observed, the demands that followed, the timing of each step and whether the investigation complied with the Criminal Code and the Charter.

North York

North York combines busy arterial roads with some of the most heavily travelled sections of Highway 401 and the Don Valley Parkway. Impaired driving charges can begin with an ordinary traffic stop, a collision, a RIDE program, or a police investigation after a driving complaint.

AveryLaw’s Toronto office is at 1315 Lawrence Avenue East in Toronto. We represent clients charged throughout North York while their criminal cases proceed at the Toronto Courthouse at 10 Armoury Street.

Scarborough

Scarborough impaired driving cases frequently arise from stops on Highway 401 and the major roads feeding it, as well as RIDE programs, collisions and calls from other motorists. Highway stops can also produce multiple allegations from the same incident, including impaired driving, Over 80, refusal, dangerous driving or Highway Traffic Act charges.

We look at the entire investigation rather than treating the breath readings or roadside result as the whole case. That includes why the vehicle was stopped, what police say they observed, the timing and wording of any demands, access to counsel, the testing procedure and the evidence ultimately disclosed by the Crown.

Etobicoke

Etobicoke sits at the intersection of some of Toronto’s busiest driving routes, including Highway 427, the Gardiner Expressway and the approaches to the QEW. Commuter traffic, airport travel, restaurants and events can all lead to police stops, RIDE investigations and collision calls that become impaired driving prosecutions.

Where speed or driving behaviour attracted police attention, an impaired driving investigation may also produce stunt driving, dangerous driving or other driving charges. Those allegations need to be considered together. We examine what gave police the authority to make each demand, what happened at the roadside and after arrest, and whether the evidence can prove each charge beyond a reasonable doubt.