I have a number of thoughts…

I have a number of thoughts about bike lanes. These are based on the fact that I have driven a car in Toronto for 35 years and have also ridden my bicycle regularly for that same time and daily (10km commute each way to and from work downtown) for the last 10 years in all seasons, typically missing less than 10 days a year.
We need more bike lanes not less.
Removing existing bike lanes is not the answer, especially in Toronto. They reduce traffic overall and they are truly an example of if you build it they will come. This is especially true as the bike lane infrastructure becomes more and more connected. They are necessary to promote safe cycling.
Traffic on major arteries was a problem well before bike lanes. I remember driving a car down Bloor West in 1988 and taking forever to get across Bloor even though it was two lanes. At that time it took me longer than it takes me now, driving a car.
The only real way to manage car traffic is to provide more viable alternatives both from a time taken perspective and a cost perspective. Public transit is key, including GO trains with more regular coverage further a field like St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Guelph, Kitchener etc, subway and bus network, LRTs UPX and more services like it. Building on our existing bike infrastructure and ensuring that it is connected is also critical to promoting safe cycling. The growing number of city bike stations and use of city bikes supports this argument
Using side streets on the main arteries like Bloor, University and Yonge does not work very well. I have tried that and it gets complicated with other side street traffic calming measures like one way streets or having to zig zag to continue in the direction that you're interested in. Often the destination is on one of the major streets so you end up back on that road regardless.
In my many years of cycling I have spent a significant amount of time cycling on major roads that did not have bike lanes on them at the time and it is challenging and can be dangerous. I am a defensive cyclist and have still had many, many close calls. Only my defensive cycling and a guardian angel has kept me from serious injury or collision. Using bike lanes as they've come on line in the areas that I cycle have made close calls much fewer and have made the cycling much safer and more enjoyable. I have also noticed significantly more cyclists taking up cycling as the bike lane infrastructure grows. We definitely need keep existing cycling infrastructure and invest more in and grow that cycling infrastructure. Increasing popularity in pedal assist bicycles (electric) is going to make investment even more critical and the positive impact even more rewarding.
Rather than reduce bike lanes how about prioritizing getting the Eglinton Crosstown operational - it should be done and if there are issues on who's going to pay for it lets get those resolved and move on. Every day that it isn't operational is costing everyone money. Lets figure out how to speed up the completion of the Ontario line, build it in phases and get it up and running etc. etc. Let's leverage the 407 better before building the 413. That would be less expensive and have a much more immediate positive impact.
Cars are not the answer for our future transportation needs within the city. This is true with or without bike lane infrastructure. Our city is growing, condo buildings are going up with less parking requirements along routes that aren't as well serviced by public transit as they will need to be. Dupont is an example of this, Kipling and Bloor, Dufferin and Bloor, Parklawn and Lakeshore, the list goes on and on and I'm only naming west end projects because that's where I live. More and more people, both immigrants and migrants from other areas of Ontario and Canada will be moving to GTA and filling these buildings and more (the housing shortage is real and will continue to be a challenge). Bike lanes can only help this situation.

We are at a turning point in Toronto, have been for a number of years. Ideally we would be further along with a more comprehensive and efficient public transit network than the one that serves us today. Bike lane infrastructure has helped! The future success of our city and our province on the international stage is very dependant on how we invest in our infrastructure today. With proper investment in that infrastructure for the future Toronto can be a healthy and vibrant hub of communities supporting all sorts of industries, businesses, institutions of higher learning, sports, arts and leisure pursuits. Proper investment to me means focusing on significant focus on public transit accessible by all (housing is another topic and equally as important) and significant investment in connected bike infrastructure is also critical to that future vision of Toronto. If we don't do it, it is quite possible that Toronto will be a car based mess when it comes to getting from point a to point b leading to a lack of productivity and it (the City of Toronto) being overlooked as a destination city for urban migration and major growth opportunities. We have to decide what kind of city we want Toronto to be. I think I've been clear on what my choice would be.

Please feel free to reach out to me for further comment or involvement. Thanks.