Pyrrhic or prophetic victory? Cycling advocates delay bike lane removal in Toronto
After mounting a Charter challenge, CycleToronto has managed a stay of execution for infrastructure until March
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Guess
The war on bike lanes continues in Ontario, but there may be a silver lining. Maybe.
CycleToronto recently filed a court challenge against Bill 212, which gives the Ontario government sweeping authority over the installation and removal of municipal bike lanes. The group claims the law violates cyclists’ Charter rights to life and security. (In another twist, the head of CycleToronto, Michael Longfield, couldn’t be there in person. Why? He had been doored on Monday, which resulted in a broken leg.)
The challenge was filed in Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice and seeks an injunction to prevent the removal of bike lanes on Bloor Street, University Avenue, and Yonge Street.
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The result seems to be a delay from removing those critical bike lanes until March. But the group is hopeful/cautiously optimistic, it might last. But, on verra.
Premier Doug Ford and the Progressive Conservative government have passed legislation that mandates municipalities to secure provincial approval before installing bike lanes that reduce vehicle traffic lanes. With Bill 212 now enacted, the province also has the power to remove bike lanes on Toronto’s Bloor, Yonge and University avenues, reverting them to vehicle traffic lanes—a decision strongly opposed by cycling advocates.
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Ford has repeatedly suggested that the bike network impedes emergency services from navigating downtown efficiently. However, this claim has been debunked by multiple sources.
It is unclear what will happen next, but one thing is certain: the cycling community will continue to fight for critical infrastructure.
There is a great deal of attention on the situation in Ontario, and cycling advocates across the country—even the world—are paying attention. Hopefully, what happens in Ontario doesn’t set a precedent, especially when there are great examples in other parts of the country where cycling infrastructure continues to improve. We will see, indeed.