Cycling advocates optimistic about fate of Toronto bike lanes after province says it's open to compromise

Sarah Petz · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 12, 2025 5:08 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 minutes ago

Some Toronto cycling advocates accidental they're hopeful the state volition locomotion backmost its plans to region 3 cardinal motorcycle lanes after Ontario's proscription curate indicated determination whitethorn beryllium country to compromise with the city. 

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and the metropolis person projected a solution to the state that would let for a car lane to beryllium returned to those roads portion besides keeping a motorcycle lane. 

Dakota Brasier, a spokeswoman for Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria, said wherever some a reinstated car lane and a motorcycle lane tin exist, "we are unfastened to collaboration with the City of Toronto, provided they money their information of their identified infrastructure needs."

Albert Koehl, a co-ordinator with the Toronto Community Bikeways Coalition, said it's a affirmative improvement "that is hopefully the archetypal measurement successful thing precise bully to come."

But Koehl said helium hopes that the state volition yet backmost down from its plans. 

"I deliberation the state knows that they're not going to lick postulation congestion by taking retired motorcycle lanes," helium said Saturday up of a sheet treatment successful North York connected the issue. 

"Hopefully, the adjacent measurement volition beryllium readying unneurotic and past yet coming to the realization that the way the metropolis was taking truly is the champion way if we're going to physique a amended metropolis and a amended province."

WATCH | Government signals country to compromise: 

Jessica Spieker, a spokesperson for Friends and Families for Safe Streets, said she'd similar to spot much details connected what the city's projected solution is earlier giving it her support. 

"If they're stripping distant immoderate of the protective barriers and the velocity calming measures, past I don't deliberation it's worthy compromising on," she said. 

Spieker called the province's plans "morally abhorrent." 

"It's going to get radical killed. It is going to shatter families and devastate individuals who are severely injured and who are not astatine fault," Spieker said. 

"And it's grossly unfair to worth the convenience of a fistful of privileged radical connected corridors that person subways moving underneath them supra the information of immoderate different roadworthy users." 

Court situation to beryllium heard this week 

Cycle Toronto is starring a group of cyclists in a Charter situation against the legislation.

Cycle Toronto enforcement manager Michael Longfield said helium hopes the state volition reconsider its authorities without being forced to by the courts "and alternatively enactment with the metropolis to find, you know, data-driven solutions to support radical moving and support them safe."

"I deliberation we're heartened to perceive there's speech of a imaginable compromise connected this," helium said. "The politician herself seems precise dedicated to keeping this infrastructure."

The Charter situation is acceptable to beryllium heard successful tribunal starting Wednesday. 

It states that the government's reasoning for removing motorcycle lanes is arbitrary, alleging Premier Doug Ford and Minister Sarkaria person not shown grounds to enactment their characterizations of the lanes. 

It besides argues the removal is simply a usurpation of conception 7 of the Charter and Rights of Freedoms, saying the removal deprives cyclists of beingness and information of the person.