Ontario begins removing bike lanes in Etobicoke

The Ontario government began removing protected bike lanes on a 1.2-kilometre stretch of Bloor Street West in Etobicoke on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. The work, which involves removing pavement markings and concrete curbs between Clissold Road and Royal York Road, is expected to continue until November. This marks the first physical removal since the Court of Appeal for Ontario ruled in August that the province could proceed with its plan to eliminate approximately 19 kilometres of bike lanes along Bloor, University and Yonge streets.

Legal and Political Context

The removals follow a legal battle over the province's authority to alter municipal infrastructure. In August, a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeal for Ontario reversed a July 2025 lower court decision, stating that the legislature is "as free to establish bicycle lanes as it is to remove them." The province argues that restoring vehicle lanes will help combat gridlock on Toronto's busiest roads.

Opponents, including cycling advocates and the City of Toronto, have challenged the legislation. Cycle Toronto and lawyers involved in a Charter challenge are set to announce the next step in their court battle on Oct. 13. David Shellnutt, a lawyer and advocate known as "The Biking Lawyer," said in a statement, "We refuse to let our safety and the safety of many other Torontonians be jeopardized in the name of Doug Ford’s culture war."

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow had offered a compromise to restore vehicle lanes on portions of Bloor Street West while retaining cycling infrastructure, but the province rejected the offer. Meanwhile, mayoral candidate Brad Bradford supports removing the Etobicoke lanes, stating, "On Bloor West in Etobicoke, the people who live and work on that street asked City Hall for three years to fix a design that wasn’t working. They were ignored."

Costs and Traffic Impact

The financial impact of the removals remains unclear. The City of Toronto estimated in November 2024 that removing lanes on Bloor Street, Yonge Street and University Avenue would cost at least $48 million. Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria stated in 2024 that the province would reimburse the city for removals, shifting the cost from Toronto property taxpayers to all Ontario taxpayers. The province has not fully disclosed the current cost of the Etobicoke removals, and a September request for proposals covering design work on 19 kilometres of lanes is not public.

The Etobicoke lanes were installed starting in June 2023 as part of a $12-million bike lane expansion plan. City staff concluded in 2024 that removing the lanes would not deliver substantial time savings and would cause months of construction congestion. Justice Paul Schabas wrote in the 2025 lower court ruling that replacing bike lanes with car lanes would make roads less safe for cyclists and other road users.

Protests and Advocacy

Cycling advocates organized demonstrations in response to the removals. A gathering was planned for the area of Bloor Street West and Royal York Road on Oct. 13, with hundreds of cyclists expected to converge beginning at 5 p.m. This follows previous mass cycling demonstrations, including one on Aug. 30 that drew approximately 850 riders and another on Sept. 30 that attracted roughly 800 cyclists.

Jess Speiker of Friends and Families for Safe Streets said, "The only change in the aftermath of Doug Ford and Prabmeet Sarkaria’s crusade to destroy safe streets is that more innocent people will be killed and severely injured." The province maintains that its request for proposals will look for ways to retain or reconfigure bike lanes where they do not worsen gridlock. Work on other sections of the 19-kilometre plan is expected to begin in spring 2027.

Why it matters

The removal of bike lanes in Etobicoke represents a significant shift in transportation policy in Ontario, highlighting the tension between provincial authority and municipal planning. The decision impacts daily commutes for cyclists and drivers, raises questions about public spending and safety, and serves as a focal point for political debate ahead of the Oct. 26 municipal election in Toronto. The outcome may influence future infrastructure decisions across the province.

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Sources

• thestar.com: Ford government begins removing bike lanes in Etobicoke
• money.ca: Ontario bike lane removal costs mount
• toronto.citynews.ca: Bike lane removals begin in Etobicoke

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.