October 30, 2024 - The Ontario government is introducing legislation that would require municipali- ties to get provincial approval before building any new bike lanes that remove car lanes.

Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria made the announcement on Oct. 15 at an Etobicoke-based restaurant on Bloor Street West, where bike lanes were installed last year and have become a flash point of the debate about bike lanes in the city.

The province is blaming bike lanes for congestion, and municipalities are being asked to demonstrate that any proposed bike lanes will not have a “negative impact on vehicle traffic”.

The government will also request data from municipalities on bike lane projects, initiated in the last five years, that replaced car lanes. The province may attempt to remove these lanes, pending a review of data related to their impact on travel times for drivers.

The announcement follows Premier Doug Ford’s recent critical comments regarding bike lanes that were fact- checked and debunked by CBC News.

A City of Toronto study for bike lanes on Bloor St. W. saw a 56% increase in cyclists, positive economic impact for businesses, and improved safety for all road users, among other benefits.

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow called the move “government overreach” which was echoed by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO). Others point to the province’s failure to activate the city’s three LRT projects at Eglinton Crosstown, Finch and Hurontario.

Advocates are dismayed given the record number of cycling deaths in Toronto this year. Advocacy groups have organized rallies and petitions in response to the pending new measures that will stunt the progress made by the city, which has seen over 100km of new bicycle infrastructure since 2018.

A recent Nanos Research survey for CTV says that 54% of Canadians vs. 41% support bike lanes that remove car lanes.