Toronto’s cycling future in jeopardy under Ford’s new rules

Toronto city administrators say they will forge ahead and build more bike lanes in the wake of Doug Ford's Bill 212, but only in places where they won’t impact vehicular traffic.

“Many people in Toronto rely on cycling as an essential mode of travel,” said Laura McQuillan, senior communications advisor for the City of Toronto. “The city remains committed to expanding Toronto’s cycling network to make travel by bike safer and more inviting.” 

However, new provincial rules, requiring cities to seek approval before building more lanes in places where they would affect traffic, means expanding the cycling network won’t be easy. This is especially true in the city’s central core, where cyclists face the most danger. Cycling advocates are furious with the provincial government’s Bill 212 that also requires Toronto to remove some existing bike lanes downtown.

The government argues the bill aims to “make life easier for drivers” and reduce traffic congestion deemed the worst in North America. Yet, an Ontario cabinet briefing document reveals that eliminating bike lanes will not resolve congestion problems and could instead worsen congestion.

The city has formally opposed Bill 212 and the order to rip up bike lanes on Bloor Street, Yonge Street, and University Avenue. 

“Removing bike lanes would reduce safe mobility options for thousands of people who rely on these routes every day,” McQuillan said.

Nonetheless, the city will work with the province to address concerns about traffic congestion and noted there are workarounds. Not all cycling infrastructure requires the removal of motor vehicle lanes, the circumstance specifically targeted by the new law. Toronto’s cycling network includes different types of infrastructure, such as cycle tracks, bicycle lanes, shared roadway routes and multi-use trails, she said.

Michael Longfield, executive director of Cycle Toronto, is disheartened by the new provincial rules which he said will endanger cyclists, particularly on major roads like Bloor Street and Yonge Street.

“The purpose of bike lanes is not just to provide space for cyclists, but to slow down traffic and make the roads safer for everyone,” he said. “Slowing down speeding vehicles reduces the severity of collisions, not only for cyclists but for motorists as well.”

He also suggested the government’s decision appears to be politically motivated because it appeals to certain supporters, and is not focused on addressing traffic congestion. 

“There’s been no consultation with municipalities or review of the impact,” Longfield said. “This is not a data-driven decision, and it undermines local democracy.”

The City of Hamilton said staff are reviewing the implications of new legislation on its 680 kilometres of existing cycling infrastructure, and will present their findings to the public works committee next month.

Hamilton also plans to add 119 kilometres of new cycling infrastructure over the next five years, as part of the city’s Climate Action Strategy. While most projects won’t require removing traffic lanes, some will, and these will be addressed in the upcoming staff report.

A new $6.2-million transportation study obtained by the Toronto Star has revealed that more Torontonians cycle than Ford has publicly acknowledged in his push to limit bike lanes. According to the Transportation Tomorrow survey, 3.1 per cent of residents commute to work by bike each morning — three times more than the one per cent Ford frequently cites. The study also found that bike usage is growing steadily, with 164,806 daily cycling trips in Toronto.

The new legislation also shields the province from lawsuits if cyclists are injured or killed on streets where bike lanes are removed. David Shellnutt, a personal injury lawyer and cycling advocate, said that move is a clear acknowledgment by the Ontario government that its actions will result in deaths, injuries and grieving families. He said the Ford government is “trying, in advance of those inevitable tragedies, to wash their hands clean of responsibility.” 

Shellnutt noted that cities like Toronto, Ottawa, Kitchener-Waterloo and London have made significant progress in building safe cycling infrastructure over the last five years to combat climate change, reduce traffic congestion and improve public health. He argued that the new law reverses this progress. “This Act sets us back ten years in transportation development,” he said.

While Shellnutt specializes in representing injured cyclists rather than constitutional law, he confirmed that his team is reviewing potential legal challenges to the legislation. He noted there is precedent for challenging such laws and said that his team would collaborate with legal experts to highlight the costs and dangers of removing bike lanes.