The Ontario government’s…

The Ontario government’s proposal to rip out bike lanes from major arteries like Bloor, Yonge, and University is more than misguided—it’s a devastating blow to the health, safety, and prosperity of our communities. These lanes are not just nice-to-have paths for cyclists; they are veins pumping life into local businesses, essential safety corridors for thousands of Ontarians, and crucial pathways toward a sustainable future. Tearing them down isn’t just a demonstrably poor choice; it’s a willful betrayal of the citizens this government is meant to serve.

Economically, the bike lanes have been a clear success. The Bloor Annex BIA, as just one example among many, has shown that foot traffic and spending soared after the lanes were installed, with businesses reporting higher revenues and a steady flow of customers. These lanes aren’t a passing trend; they’re woven into the fabric of the local economy. With nearby property values rising and local shops depending on the increased foot traffic, the bike lanes support consistent economic growth. Destroying them would be economic self-sabotage, trading real financial gains for the illusion of a “solution” to congestion that will certainly not materialize and only deepen the city’s traffic woes. Yet the province is willing to gamble with this success—without consulting the people who live, work, and have directly invested in these improvements.

The government’s proposal to rip out bike lanes in the name of "easing congestion," in particular, is insulting. Cyclists don't just vanish when lanes are removed—they are thrown directly into car traffic, creating more congestion, not less. We don’t need a report to see this outcome; it’s why we installed the bike lanes in the first place! Forcing cyclists to share lanes with cars will immediately slow traffic further and create a far more hazardous environment for everyone. With thousands relying on these lanes daily, eliminating them will bring back the chaos, more accidents, and dangerous conditions we had before. It’s not just short-sighted; it’s a disregard for the very safety and well-being of the community.

From a health standpoint, this decision is even more damning. Cities with robust cycling networks report lower rates of chronic illness, lower healthcare costs, and better mental health among residents. Ontario is already grappling with deliberate healthcare cuts, and removing these lanes would push up costs even further as residents lose access to affordable, healthy transportation options.

Environmentally, this decision is a massive step backward. Cities worldwide are adding bike lanes to cut emissions, improve air quality, and combat urban heat. Toronto’s bike lanes directly contribute to lowering emissions and noise pollution, making the city more livable and pleasant for everyone. By removing these lanes, the province ignores the time, money, and planning that Toronto has invested in becoming a greener, more sustainable city, as if the progress we’ve worked so hard to achieve simply doesn’t matter.

And finally, the process of developing this proposal transparently reeks of arrogance. The local BIAs and the residents who rely on the lanes the government is explicitly targeting with this proposal were completely left out of the decision-making process and, worse yet, condescended to in the media when they challenged the province's baseless assumptions. This lack of consultation is deeply dehumanizing, implying that the people who live, work, and contribute to this community don’t deserve a voice in decisions that directly affect them.

Removing these bike lanes dismantles more than infrastructure—it dismantles our trust in a government that should work for us, not against us. Ontario deserves leaders who listen, who respect our lived experiences, and who understand that meaningful progress is not something to be discarded for short-term political gain. The people of Toronto, the residents of Ontario, and every single community that has invested in safer, healthier, more sustainable streets deserve better than a plan that ignores the facts, disregards our voices, and sacrifices our future. This isn’t just a step backward; it’s a failure of leadership so profound it defies reason.