Ontario Court of Appeal authorizes removal of 19 km of Toronto bike lanes

Ontario’s Court of Appeal, sitting as a three-judge panel, issued a decision that nullifies a July 2025 ruling which had blocked the provincial government’s plan to eliminate 19 kilometres of protected bike lanes in Toronto. The original judgment, delivered by Justice Paul Schabas, argued that removing the lanes would breach constitutional rights to life and personal security. However, the appellate judges concluded that the legislature may repeal or even erase a road without invoking the Charter.

The 2024 provincial law that empowers the removal applies to lanes on Bloor Street, Yonge Street and University Avenue. Cycle Toronto and other advocacy groups had sued to preserve the infrastructure, but the higher court’s interpretation removes that barrier. As a result, Premier Doug Ford’s administration can now proceed with dismantling the specified bike lanes, pending implementation details.