Province moves ahead with bike lane removals
The Ontario government announced Tuesday it will begin removing and reconfiguring bike lanes on some of Toronto's busiest roads, weeks after winning a court appeal that cleared the way for the plan.
In a news release, the province said it will start "restoring motor vehicle lanes" on Bloor Street, Yonge Street, University Avenue, Queen's Park, Queen's Park Crescent and Avenue Road. The province has also issued a request for proposals to "study and provide design options" for restoring vehicle lanes along some sections of those streets, with options that include retaining or reconfiguring the bike lanes.
The announcement follows an Ontario Court of Appeal ruling in August that allowed the Ford government to remove 19 kilometres of protected bike lanes in Toronto, reversing a lower-court decision from July 2025.
Work is set to begin "almost immediately" on a stretch of Bloor Street east of Islington station, according to Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria. The province also said it is immediately restoring motor vehicle lanes on Bloor Street West, starting east of a 600-metre section at Clissold Road where vehicle lanes were restored in December 2025.
Minister cites congestion, promises kept
At a news conference Tuesday, Sarkaria was firm in attributing gridlock to the bike lanes.
"Getting these bike lanes out of the way, restoring vehicle lanes, will allow us to get people moving quicker and faster in one of the busiest cities in the world," he said.
He added that he had spoken to "many community members" about the lanes and said their installation has affected local businesses and reduced downtown visitors. "We need to restore the vehicle lanes to stop the congestion," he said.
In a separate statement, Sarkaria said, "We're keeping our promise," and added, "Under Premier Ford's leadership, we're getting people and goods moving again and giving commuters back more of their time."
Court ruling and legal context
The plan was first put in place at the end of 2024 but was blocked by a lower court after a legal challenge. The Ontario Court of Appeal overturned that decision in mid-August, ruling that the removals did not violate the Canadian Charter. The court's decision reactivated the province's policy to remove bike lanes from portions of Bloor, Yonge and University, extending north to Queen's Park Crescent and Avenue Road.
Cyclists who brought the legal challenge argued that the province pursued the plan even though its own advisers and experts agreed it would not achieve its stated goal of reducing congestion and could make it worse. They pointed to an engineering study commissioned by the province that suggested removing the targeted bike lanes could increase collisions for cyclists, drivers and pedestrians by 54 per cent.
City objections and cost concerns
Mayor Olivia Chow, who is seeking re-election, said the provincial government should focus on dealing with S. tariffs, "not picking endless political fights with the city of Toronto." In a statement, she said, "I believe strongly in Toronto's autonomy and right to govern itself."
Chow's press secretary, Braman Thillainathan, wrote, "You will need to ask the Ministry of Transportation why they decided to ignore these solutions that keep all road users safe."
The city has estimated the cost to remove the province's targeted bike lanes at about $48 million.
Work to restore a vehicle lane while keeping the bike lane along a stretch of Bloor Street between Kipling and Islington stations was completed last year at an initially estimated cost of $750,000.
Political context
Bike lanes have become a municipal election issue. Mayoral candidate Brad Bradford, who previously voted in favour of the Bloor Street West bike lanes when he was a councillor, has since vowed to remove them if elected. Mayor Chow has previously said she wants to work with the province to find an agreement that restores vehicle lanes while keeping cyclists safe.