TORONTO — Premier Doug Ford had said it and he did it: Ontario’s Progressive Conservative government has passed legislation that will require municipalities to seek approval to install new bike lanes on major roads and could lead to the removal of some existing bike lanes in Toronto.
Bill 212, which passed its third reading yesterday in Queen’s Park by a vote of 66-27, therefore requires municipalities to seek provincial approval before installing bike lanes if a traffic lane will be removed to accommodate them. And, as we were saying, it also paves the way for the Province to remove bike lanes on sections of Bloor Street, Yonge Street and University Avenue without consulting the City of Toronto.
“We promised to get drivers out of gridlock by bringing sanity back to bike lane decisions and we’re getting it done” said Premier Doug Ford in a statement posted to Twitter X on Monday afternoon.
According to a recent city staff report (which you can read/download from this our previous article: The City of Toronto: “$48 million to remove three bike lanes”. Building them had cost $ 27 million), installing the three bike lanes that the Province plans to remove cost about $27 million, while removing them to restore the car lanes would cost about $48 million. The province has challenged both the city’s cost estimates and its figures for the impact of bike lanes on traffic.
Premier Ford recently said residents “despise” bike lanes in some parts of the city and that they should only be allowed on less busy roads. And to avoid “hassle,” the bill also limits the ability to sue the Ontario government for removing bike lanes, even if cyclists are injured or killed on stretches of road where bike lanes are removed.
Cycling advocates have condemned the Province’s move, saying it will put cyclists at risk and cost lives. Civic activists have also cited Doug Ford’s move as “an example of the province trampling on local democracy”.
In the pic above, the bikelane on Mill Street, to the Distillery District (from Twitter X – @TO_Cycling_Ped)
