“They’re coming out,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford said to Global News about some Toronto bike lanes. “The three that stand out are Bloor Street, Yonge Street, and Hospital Row (University Avenue). We’re going to work with the city and, hopefully, they can put them on secondary roads.”
When asked if the government required criteria before removing the lanes, Ford said, “No,” suggesting the decision was final.
Bike lanes to be replaced with vehicular lanes
The Ontario government plans to remove bike lanes from these sections, with a regulation requiring them to be restored for vehicle traffic. The Progressive Conservative government also introduced a bill mandating municipal approval for bike lanes that remove vehicle lanes. Ford, who has criticized bike lanes for causing gridlock, particularly on Bloor Street West near his home, has posted the regulation for public comment until Nov. 20.
The posting states that Toronto would be required to “provide support” for removing bike lanes on Bloor Street, Yonge Street, and University Avenue, with an exemption from the Environmental Assessment Act.
Toronto mayor disagrees wholeheartedly
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow responded, saying the city opposes the proposal. “By ripping up our roads, the province will only worsen congestion and make streets less safe for cyclists and drivers alike,” Chow said to the CBC, adding that the city prefers collaboration with the province over costly, evidence-free infrastructure changes.
Data shows University Avenue bike lanes have had little to no impact on car travel times, with congestion likely due to nearby construction, according to the city. Installed in 2020 after consultations with emergency services and Hospital Row administrators, the lanes have not led to any traffic concerns from emergency services. The city, which will release year-round data from 18 bike lane locations in November, said emergency services adapt to road conditions and take the fastest available route when responding.
Evidence versus ancedotes
Despite anecdotal reports from those opposing the bike lanes, the City of Toronto reports strong usage for the Bloor and Yonge bike lanes, with winter cycling volumes averaging 34 per cent of summer levels across key locations. At Bloor and Oakmount, summer cycling increased by 20 per cent from 2023 to 2024, and winter cycling on Yonge rose by over 50 per cent from 2022/2023 to 2023/2024. In 2024, average daily summer volumes reached…
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