Ford government wins court battle to remove downtown Toronto bike lanes

The Ontario Court of Appeal has overturned a lower court’s ruling that blocked the Ford government’s plans to rip out certain downtown Toronto bike lanes.

The decision paves the way for the removal of bike lanes on parts of Yonge Street, University Avenue and Bloor Street.

In a statement issued shortly after the decision came down, Minister of Transportation Prabmeet Sarkaria called it a “decision for common sense and for respecting the appropriate division of roles between duly elected legislatures and the courts.”

The Court of Appeal took issue with the lower court’s perceived wading into legislative business.

“It is illegitimate for courts to involve themselves in matters of legislative policy,” Justice Grant Huscroft wrote in the unanimous decision. “Policy is for politics.”

Michael Longfield is the executive director of Cycle Toronto, one of the groups behind the initial charter challenge. “We’re disappointed with the decision,” he said, “but it does nothing to dispute the facts that bike lanes do not cause traffic congestion and ripping them out will put people’s lives at risk.”

Longfield argued the battle isn’t just about cyclists and bike lanes. “The bike lanes on Bloor West have been approved by city council multiple times. This is about bike lanes, but also about respecting local democracy.”

Longfield said they are still exploring potential next steps, saying “they intend to keep pursuing this to the fullest extent of the law.”