Ontario has approved removal of nearly 20 kilometres of Toronto's protected bike lanes
Court ruled the Ford government can tear out bike lanes on Yonge, Bloor and University avenues. Contractors must submit removal bids by late November, with work expected to finish by end of 2028.
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
Ontario is proceeding with removal of protected bike lanes stretching across Yonge Street, Bloor Street and University Avenue after the province's highest court rejected a constitutional challenge.
The Ontario Court of Appeal ruled unanimously on August 14, 2026, overturning a lower-court decision that found the Ford government plan created unconstitutional risk to cyclist safety. The three-judge panel found the earlier judgment had created a right to bike lanes where none existed. Justice Grant Huscroft wrote that "something has gone wrong" with the lower court's reasoning, and emphasized that "policy is for politics. Whether courts think legislation is wise or unwise is irrelevant so far as its constitutionality is concerned."
The court's decision cleared the way for a formal tendering process. Queen's Park issued a request for proposals in early September, with contractors required to submit bids by the end of November. The provincial ministry of transportation will oversee the contract, which is expected to conclude by the end of 2028. The RFP form enables U.S. firms to participate.
The removal plans target protected lanes on the Bloor bike lane from Royal York Road to Castle Frank Drive, Yonge Street from Hayden to Millwood, and University Avenue from College northward. The RFP states the project "will include an assessment to identify where vehicle lane reinstatement can occur while maintaining bike lanes, and where bike lanes cannot be maintained without major reconstruction," but does not specify how that assessment will be conducted or address the fate of street parking spaces along the affected routes.
Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria defended the plan in a statement. "Today's court ruling is a victory for common sense and for respecting the appropriate division of roles between duly elected legislatures and the courts," Sarkaria said. He emphasized the government's mandate to tackle the traffic and gridlock in Ontario.
CycleTO, the advocacy group that mounted the charter challenge, has not yet said whether it will seek leave to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court of Canada.
How will the assessment determine where lanes can be maintained versus removed, and who decides?
What happens to street parking along the affected routes during and after construction?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
Which three streets will have protected bike lanes removed?
Yonge Street, Bloor Street, and University Avenue will have their protected bike lanes removed.
When is the bike lane removal expected to be completed?
The removal work is expected to finish by the end of 2028.
What did the Ontario Court of Appeal decide on August 14, 2026?
The Ontario Court of Appeal ruled unanimously that the Ford government's plan to remove bike lanes does not violate the Constitution, overturning a lower-court decision that had blocked the removal.
