The Ontario court of appeal ruled Friday that the province can proceed with removing 19km of protected bike lanes on major Toronto streets, overturning a lower court decision that found removal unconstitutional. Premier Doug Ford's government passed legislation in 2024 to tear out the lanes, blaming them for the city's traffic problems, before cycling advocacy groups won a temporary block via legal challenge.
The appeal court found no charter right to bike lanes exists and that courts cannot strike down legislation merely because experts predict it will fail. Toronto's mayor said she is negotiating with the province for an alternative that keeps all road users safe, while Ontario's transportation minister called the ruling a 'victory for common sense.'
A 2024 city report estimated removal would cost taxpayers C$48m, and internal provincial briefings reportedly found the government's own staff concluded the removal would not ease congestion and could worsen it.
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