Protest targets engineering firm hired by Ontario to work on bike lane removal

Kate McGillivray · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 18, 2025 12:43 PM EDT | Last Updated: 7 minutes ago

With Ontario poised to statesman demolishing motorcycle lanes successful Toronto wrong days, advocacy groups are trying to unit the engineering steadfast taking connected portion of the enactment to rip up its provincial contract. 

On Tuesday morning, a radical of protesters gathered astatine the offices of Stantec Consulting Ltd., the engineering steadfast hired by the state to undertake a information of the motorcycle lane removal work. 

Demonstrators entered the gathering and presented Stantec with their request to cancel the contract, which prompted Stantec to telephone the police, said Marcel Jansen, a subordinate of Friday for Future Toronto, one of the groups down the protest. 

Alex Lam, outreach co-ordinator for the aforesaid group, said they were 1 of 2 radical were concisely detained by constabulary and issued a $65 ticket — a terms they accidental is good worthy it. 

"We're talking astir people's lives here," Lam said. "I deliberation this enactment was bully for highlighting this unspeakable happening that Stantec is doing. Agreeing to rip retired motorcycle lanes, enactment radical astatine risk, summation congestion, summation emissions." 

The protestation follows a akin run launched by advocacy radical Cycle Toronto, which is urging radical to email Stantec to request they halt moving connected the plan. 

WATCH | Protesters rally against program to region Toronto motorcycle lanes: 

In an emailed statement, a spokesperson for Stantec wrote that they "respect the right of assemblage to dependable their opinions done peaceful protest."

"Moreover, we besides admit that our squad members —also section Toronto residents—were capable to safely participate their workplace," said Colin Nekolaichuk, a nationalist relations manager for Stantec. 

The connection went connected to say Stantec is moving on developing method drawings for "a tiny section" of the motorcycle corridors, representing astir 1.5 kilometres successful total. After those drawings are complete, the steadfast volition nary longer beryllium involved, Nekolaichuk said. 

City manager says Toronto inactive committed to cycling program 

Toronto City Manager Paul Johnson spoke to CBC Radio's Metro Morning connected Tuesday astir Ontario's program — billed repeatedly by the state successful the leadup to past month's predetermination arsenic indispensable to trim congestion. 

"This is their operation, this is their legislation," Johnson said.  

"The metropolis volition comply with this, but I conscionable privation to guarantee everybody that the cycling programme successful Toronto is strong. We are committed to cycling arsenic an important mode of transportation."  

Last week, an Ontario tribunal denied an injunction petition from a radical of cyclists, including Cycle Toronto, hoping to property intermission connected removal enactment until aft their tribunal situation is heard successful mid-April. 

WATCH | Internal documents uncover removing motorcycle lands whitethorn not alteration congestion:

That means that the state could statesman the process of undoing sections of rhythm lanes connected Bloor Street, Yonge Street, and University Avenue successful Toronto arsenic soon arsenic Thursday.  

As portion of that tribunal process, a trove of interior provincial documents related to the program were made public. 

Those document revealed that the state was warned that determination was a "medium risk" that the changes volition not execute the "desired outcomes" of faster-moving traffic. 

They besides included a study prepared for the Ministry of Transportation that estimated that collisions for each roadworthy users could spike by 54 per cent erstwhile the lanes are gone.