Ontario Court of Appeal allows removal of Toronto bike lanes

The Ontario Court of Appeal has overturned a lower court ruling, allowing the provincial government to proceed with the removal of 19km of protected bike lanes from major Toronto streets, including Bloor, Yonge, and University Avenue.

Provincial Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria stated that the government intends for bike lanes to be located on secondary roads rather than on busy streets where they reduce vehicle lanes. The decision follows a provincial bill that restricts the creation of new cycle lanes that decrease the number of available vehicle lanes.

Cycling advocacy groups, including Cycle Toronto, have criticized the decision, arguing that removing protected lanes increases safety risks for cyclists. Michael Longfield, executive director of Cycle Toronto, stated, “Bike lanes do not cause traffic congestion. Ripping them out will put people’s lives at risk.”