Toronto’s push to expand cycling infrastructure is continuing under a cloud of uncertainty as a provincial freeze on bike lanes that replace car traffic reshapes the city’s plans.
The Ontario government introduced the restriction in November 2024. The bill, “Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act.” barred municipalities from installing new bike lanes if they interfere with existing vehicle routes. The move also targeted bike lanes already in place along major corridors in Toronto.
Cycle Toronto successfully challenged the law in court. However the province has since appealed, leaving the issue unresolved. (For now.)
The challenge
In July 2025, Justice Schabas of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled that the bike lane removal provisions were unconstitutional. Premier Doug Ford was quick to criticize the ruling on his bike lane law, calling it “ridiculous.”
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But even as the legal fight plays out, the policy has had a chilling effect on Toronto’s rollout. City officials say staff are already revisiting projects to ensure they comply with the potential new rules.
That, in turn, slows delivery timelines. A recent budget briefing noted that nearly one-third of the bike-lane projects planned over the next two years would have required removing lanes of traffic. They must now be reconsidered.
The recent history of expansion
Toronto’s cycling network expanded like gangbusters during the pandemic. Road use shifted and emergency measures allowed for faster construction. The idea was that cycling was a good way to get exercise–since most gyms were closed, and it was a safer way to get around town. Crowded transit with cases of COVID-19 was not a wise choice.
The surge seen COVID-19 pandemic slowed sharply after the province introduced its contested restriction. According to figures reported by Global News, the city added just over eight kilometres of bikeways in 2016, rising steadily to nearly 12 km in 2017 and more than 15 km the following year. It then dipped in 2019.
Paint vs. infrastructure
Construction then spiked dramatically in 2020, when more than 35 km were installed as emergency road changes took hold, followed by elevated additions through 2021, 2022 and 2023. The pace picked up again in 2024. That year, more than 26 km were added, before falling to just over 13 km in 2025. That was the first full year after the provincial ban was announced.
Cycling advocate
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