Toronto cyclists ask Canada's top court to weigh in on Ford's bike lane removal plan
Cycle Toronto is appealing to the Supreme Court of Canada to halt the Ontario provincial government's plan to remove bike lanes from three major Toronto roads. The province argues the removal is necessary to reduce traffic congestion, while advocates claim it compromises public safety.
Why it matters
This case highlights the ongoing tension between provincial authority and municipal urban planning regarding infrastructure and public safety.
Cycle Toronto said Tuesday they will seek leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada, with the hopes that the country's top court will put a stop to Ontario's plan to pull out bike lanes on three major Toronto roads.
"It's very clear in terms of the facts of this case that they haven't changed, that bike lanes do not cause traffic congestion, that ripping them out will put people's lives at risk," said Cycle Toronto executive director Michael Longfield at a Tuesday morning news conference.
The request for the Supreme Court to weigh in is the latest chapter in a legal case over a 2024 law empowering the province to take out the bike lanes — a move framed by the province as a bid to cut down on traffic congestion. The legislation also requires municipalities to seek approval to install new bike lanes that cut into traffic.
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