Sarah Polley—holding the key to the city—praises Toronto’s traffic

Sarah Polley is an Oscar winner, a devoted activist and now the holder of a key to the city of Toronto. Polley was honoured over the weekend at the annual xoTO House event, which celebrates Toronto’s role as a hub for film production. “Sarah Polley’s work has touched audiences around the world while always remaining true to Toronto and Canadian stories,” said official key presenter and mayor Olivia Chow before handing over the commemorative hardware.

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In her acceptance speech, the Road to Avonlea icon returned the love, gushing about “the place that has shaped every part of my life,” the hometown she said she has “never once considered leaving.” She even put a positive spin on a persistent problem: “It’s also a place that provides endless opportunities to meditate while caught in traffic, whatever your mode of transportation.”

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That’s right: Sarah Polley sees an upside in our city’s eternal gridlock. Sort of like when you thought your crush’s chin-strap beard was appealingly edgy. Or when Ryan Reynolds gushed over his Tim Hortons breakfast box (too soon?).

Jokes aside, Polley is a municipal and national treasure and now a member of the elite society of artists who can do whatever it is you do with a symbolic novelty key. Maybe she can ask fellow Toronto key holder Guillermo del Toro, who received the honour back in July. He’ll be at the TIFF premiere of his super buzzy Frankenstein later today, though probably a little busy for key banter.