The Ontario government is moving full speed ahead with plans to remove bike lanes from three of Toronto’s busiest streets—Bloor Street West, Yonge Street, and University Avenue—having hired an engineering firm to design the reinstatement of vehicle lanes.
The controversial move was announced by Premier Doug Ford and the Progressive Conservative government in late 2024. It then fast-tracked legislation requiring municipalities to get provincial approval before installing bike lanes that remove vehicle traffic lanes. Bill 212, the Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, 2024, was passed in November. It also gives the province the authority to remove bike lanes on Toronto’s Bloor, Yonge, and University Avenues, converting them back to vehicle traffic—moves that cycling advocates strongly oppose.
“Bringing common sense back”
“Our government has heard loud and clear from residents and businesses about the problems with gridlock. The failed approach of installing bike lanes without a second thought for drivers or local businesses is not working,” Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation, said. “By freeing up some of Toronto’s most important roads, we’re bringing common sense back to municipal planning.”
The government claims the bike lanes on Bloor West had been poorly planned, “sitting empty for half the year, hurting local businesses and making life harder for drivers and pedestrians,” Sam Pappas, Board Member of Balance on Bloor, said. “Restoring vehicle lanes on major roads in Toronto is a major milestone that will help our community continue to thrive.”
In 2023, mapping firm TomTom reported that Toronto had the longest commute times in North America and the third-longest globally.
Blame on bike lanes misplaced?
However, the government also cited misleading and outdated data to get support for the move. Furthermore, many say the bike lanes aren’t the reason for the gridlock.
The province claims removing bike lanes will reduce congestion, citing outdated data that suggests bike commuters “clog primary roads” for 70 per cent of drivers. However, a Toronto poll showed 10 per cent of residents commute by bike, while 70 per cent use bikes for recreation or errands. Critics argue the 1.2 per cent figure cited by the government is misleading, as it includes areas without bike infrastructure, and suggest reallocating removal funds to pressing issues like hospital wait times and transit improvements.
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