Ford government announces plans to restart bike lane removals in Toronto

Weeks after winning its appeal to remove bike lanes from several major Toronto streets, the Ford government is forging ahead with plans to rip the infrastructure from Bloor Street, Yonge Street and University Avenue.

In a mid-August ruling, the Ontario Court of Appeal overturned a lower court’s decision that removing bike lanes violated the Canadian Charter, allowing the government to proceed with its plan.

The decision reactivated a policy that Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government first put in place at the end of 2024 to restore space for vehicles — and remove bike lanes — from portions of Bloor, Yonge and University.

The plans also extend north as University Avenue turns into Queen’s Park Crescent and then Avenue Road.

The province announced on Tuesday it was seeking bids from companies to undertake the work, with the earliest removal taking place in Etobicoke in the near future.

“We’re keeping our promise,” Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said in a statement. “Under Premier Ford’s leadership, we’re getting people and goods moving again and giving commuters back more of their time.”

The government said it was issuing a request for proposals from companies interested in redesigning the three major streets to either remove the bike lanes or, if possible, alter them to add more lanes for cars.

Work will begin immediately, the government said, on a short section of Bloor Street West where “minimal design work is required.”