Alberta government praises Ontario court ruling on bike lanes

The Alberta government is hailing an Ontario Court of Appeal decision as a victory, a ruling that clears the path for the province to dismantle contentious municipal bike lanes. The August 14 decision overturned a previous ruling that had prevented Premier Doug Ford's government from removing several bike lanes in downtown Toronto.

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a win for common sense.

Alberta's Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen lauded the decision, echoing his Ontario counterpart's sentiment that it is "a win for common sense." He stated that Albertans expect transportation decisions to be based on community needs, emphasizing that the court affirmed governments' authority to enact and alter transportation policy, and that no constitutional right to a bike lane exists.

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Albertans expect their government to make transportation decisions based on what works for our communities.

In response, the Alberta government is preparing legislation for the fall sitting of the legislature. This proposed law aims to grant the province greater authority to remove existing bike lanes. Additionally, the government has established an online complaint system to gather public feedback and concerns regarding specific bike lanes across Alberta. Dreeshen criticized past transportation decisions, suggesting they were driven by ideology rather than practicality, and stressed the need to consider all road users.

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The appeal court made clear that governments have the authority to make and change transportation policy and that there is no constitutional right to a bike lane.