Toronto’s Breakup with Bike Lanes

For years, bike lanes in Toronto have been a contentious issue, sparking debates at City Hall, within neighbourhoods, and across all the social media platforms. As an avid cyclist and an unapologetic fan of bike lanes, this potential breakup feels personal. I, like many Torontoinians, have relied on these dedicated paths for commuting, exercising, and exploring the city through weekend urban adventures. But as Toronto grapples with its evolving identity, I can’t help but acknowledge the growing anti-bike lane sentiment. Maybe it’s time we part ways with bike lanes on major city streets—not because I want to, but because the city’s collective voice seems to demand it.

In October, Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria proposed legislation mandating provincial approval for the installation of new bike lanes in any Ontario municipality. The legislation would also ban the addition of separated bike lanes if they disrupt existing vehicle traffic.

The legislation would also empower the province to review cycling infrastructure installed in the past five years and mandate its removal if deemed necessary.

For Toronto, three main bike lane arteries are on the chopping block: Bloor Street, Yonge Street and University Avenue. 

Why get rid of bike lanes in the main thoroughfares of the city? Simple answer: they’re unpopular.

The Beauty of Cycling

If one spends time in bike friendly cities of Europe, like Copenhagen or Amsterdam, it doesn’t take long to see the great benefits to having an urban culture that gravitates towards its love of cycling. 

Cycling is one of the most efficient forms of urban transportation. A single bike lane can move five to ten times as many people per hour as a car lane during peak times. 

Beyond efficiency, the environmental benefits are significant. Every kilometre cycled instead of driven reduces greenhouse gas emissions. This very fact alone raises an eyebrow as to why the Trudeau government has yet to weigh in heavily on this provincial debate. The Feds rarely miss the chance to “proudly” virtue signal their deep dogmatic love of fighting climate change.

Health is another undeniable win. Regular cycling improves cardiovascular health, reduces stress, and promotes physical fitness. It also decreases healthcare costs for the city - remember that “free” Ontario Health care has to be paid somehow. Again, strange these arguments aren’t made on both sides of the aisle? Where’s Canada’s RFK equivalent to beat the drum, striding towards “making Canada healthy again?”

From an urban planning perspective, bike lanes can transform neighbourhoods. They can reduce traffic congestion, increase foot traffic for local businesses, and make streets more livable. It must be said that Toronto’s own Jane Jacobs is most likely looking down on our city’s ‘bike lane infrastructure flip flop’ with great sorrow.

In the past decade, Toronto, with its ever-expanding population, seemed ready to embrace this vision. For a brief, hopeful moment, it seemed like Toronto might finally join the ranks of bike-friendly metropolises around the world.

What happened?

But then came the backlash—a vocal, persistent opposition that couldn’t be ignored.

Many Toronto drivers complain that bike lanes worsen congestion. They point to lanes on arterial roads where space for cars has been reduced, leading to slower commutes and more frustration. Local businesses, especially those without convenient parking options, argue that the loss of curb space has hurt their bottom line. And in a city with extreme winters, critics question the practicality of bike lanes that remain underutilized during cold and snowy months.

There also seems to be a cultural resistance. Toronto, for all its diversity and cosmopolitan charm, is still a car-first city at heart. Suburban commuters, who make up a significant portion of the population, see bike lanes as an urban luxury that ignores their reality. The political narrative has increasingly reflected this divide, with many framing bike lanes as a ‘war on cars.’

Ford’s Progressive Conservatives released their survey findings - 55 percent of their surveyed participants supported the premier's proposal to require municipalities to obtain provincial approval for bike lanes that could disrupt vehicular traffic.

Toronto’s bike lane strategy in the past decade also failed to win hearts and minds. Public consultations often devolved into heated arguments, and messaging rarely emphasized the broader benefits of cycling. Instead of framing bike lanes as a collective win, the conversation was framed too often as cars versus bikes—a divisive narrative that alienated many.

As much as I love bike lanes, we have to acknowledge that they’re not winning any popularity contests. Premier Doug Ford and his Conservative colleagues often cite that only 1.2% of Torontonians commute by bike—a statistic many challenge. Still, even if the true figure is higher, it’s dwarfed by the city’s car-driving majority.

In a democracy, the majority rules, and it’s clear that car-loving Torontonians vastly outnumber cyclists. While it’s frustrating for those of us who see the value in bike lanes, we must accept the reality: they’re simply not popular.

For those of us who embraced bike lanes on major streets, their absence will leave a tangible void.

Bike lanes were a promise of what Toronto could be: a cleaner, greener, more connected city. They encouraged me to choose my bike over my car, reducing my carbon footprint and helping me stay active. As many Torontonians know, our public transportation routes are also overburdened. Taking TTC riders off of our subways, buses and streetcars also gives commuters some air to breathe. 

So, what happens next?

If Doug Ford had his way, bike lanes and city cyclists would be off the main streets, not pestering the average driver whose sole intention is to locate a parking space on their dreaded trip into the city from Mississauga, Brampton, Vaughn or Richmond Hill.  

Ford’s preferred Toronto would have all bike lanes hidden on back streets that do not connect with one another - leading to many dead-end commutes and annoying detours for frustrated city cyclists. 

Reports suggest that removing the key three bike lanes on Yonge, Bloor and University could cost up to $48-million - a figure that Ford greatly refutes.

Toronto won’t become bike-free overnight, but the removal of key bike lanes signals a shift in priorities. Cyclists like me will have to adapt, sharing roads with cars once again. Some will give up cycling altogether, deterred by the increased risks.

Meanwhile, the city’s car-centric infrastructure will expand. More roads, more parking lots, and more congestion. And while this may appease drivers in the short term, it’s hard not to wonder if Toronto will regret this choice in the long run.

Cities that prioritize sustainable transportation today will be better equipped to handle the challenges of tomorrow. 

For now, it feels like Toronto’s ‘breakup’ with cycle friendly infrastructure is inevitable. Slowly and quietly in the background, cyclists will still persist, forging their way in the competitive precious streets monopolized by the automobile, with nothing more than the memories of a space and time where there was hope for a ‘cycle-friendly city.’