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Ontario free to axe Toronto bike lanes, top court rules

From The Guardian · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Ontario's top court has ruled the provincial government can remove Toronto's bike lanes on major streets, overturning a lower court decision.
  • The ruling favors Premier Doug Ford's government, which has argued the lanes contribute to traffic congestion.
  • Cycling advocates express disappointment, while the province celebrates the decision as a "victory for common sense."

Ontario's provincial government is now free to dismantle Toronto's bike lanes on its busiest streets, following a significant ruling by the region's top court on Friday. This decision overturns a previous lower court judgment that had protected the lanes, deeming their removal a violation of constitutional rights.

The victory is a major win for Ontario Premier Doug Ford and his administration, who have consistently criticized the bike lanes, attributing traffic problems in the city to their presence. The provincial government had passed legislation in 2024 to enable the removal of the lanes, despite their recent installation by the municipality.

This isn’t just about keeping people on bikes safe. It helps pedestrians. It helps other drivers. It has a very strong traffic calming effect that we need in major cities.

— Michael LongfieldExecutive director of Cycle Toronto, expressing disappointment with the court's decision to allow the removal of bike lanes.

However, the plan to tear up the 19-kilometer stretch of road was halted when cycling advocacy groups launched a legal challenge. In July 2025, a superior court judge sided with the advocates, ruling that removing the lanes was unconstitutional because it would increase the risk of death or injury, thereby violating the right to life and security of the person protected under Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Neither the government nor the legislature is under any obligation to accept policy advice.

— Justice HuscroftQuoted from the Ontario Court of Appeal's decision, explaining the court's reasoning regarding government policy.

The Ontario Court of Appeal's reversal of this ruling stated that no Charter right to bike lanes exists and that the government is free to alter legislation concerning them. The judges noted that courts cannot declare legislation unconstitutional based on predictions that government policies might fail.

Michael Longfield, executive director of Cycle Toronto, expressed disappointment. "This isn’t just about keeping people on bikes safe. It helps pedestrians. It helps other drivers. It has a very strong traffic calming effect that we need in major cities," he said. Ontario's Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria, however, called the decision a "victory for common sense."

victory for common sense

— Prabmeet SarkariaOntario's transportation minister, reacting to the court's ruling.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Guardian in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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