In a stunning revelation that undermines the Ontario government’s rationale for removing bike lanes, a leaked document shows that eliminating cycling infrastructure will actually worsen traffic congestion in Toronto. The internal memo, first reported by the Trillium, directly contradicts Premier Doug Ford’s claim that bike lanes are a major contributor to the city’s gridlock woes.
Leaked Memo Exposes Flawed Logic
The draft briefing prepared for the cabinet warns that axing bike lanes “may not reduce congestion” and cites research from cities like New York, Washington, and Vancouver showing that reallocating road space to cycling can ease congestion by encouraging a shift away from cars. This flies in the face of Ford’s stance that the “insanity” of Toronto traffic can be blamed on bike lanes.
Ministry staff also cautioned that Ontario risks “jeopardizing progress” on long-term funding agreements with Toronto and Ottawa, and could be seen as meddling in municipal affairs. The memo’s findings call into question the wisdom of the province’s vow to tear out 21 km of bike routes at a potential cost of $48 million.
Province Shields Itself From Lawsuits
In a controversial move that critics are calling an admission that “people will get hurt,” the Ontario government quietly passed an amendment indemnifying itself from lawsuits in the event that a cyclist is injured or killed on a road where a bike lane was removed. Bill 212 won’t prohibit riding on those major arteries but absolves the province of liability for any resulting accidents.
The safer thing for a cyclist to do would be to make a decision to go on streets that are safer. That’s what we believe is the right way to do it.
– Ontario Transport Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria
Lawyer David Shellnutt, who represents families of cyclists harmed by vehicles, accused the government of “preemptively trying to wash the blood from their hands” with the liability provision, saying “They know people will get hurt…And to take deliberate steps to increase the risk? There are no words.”
Fierce Opposition From City Leaders
Toronto officials have vehemently opposed Ford’s efforts to overrule the city on bike lanes. In a decisive 21-4 vote, the city council rejected a bill that would allow the province to block cycle paths that replace traffic lanes. Mayor John Tory denounced Queen’s Park for “unilaterally making decisions about Toronto’s transit and transportation network.”
The leaked document bolsters the city’s position, indicating that the province’s meddling will exacerbate rather than alleviate congestion. With the municipality and province at loggerheads, the future of Toronto’s cycling network hangs in the balance. At stake are millions in sunk infrastructure costs, the flow of traffic on the city’s already strained roadways, and the safety of thousands of bike commuters.
A Heated Debate With No Easy Answers
As Toronto continues to grapple with population growth and all its attendant challenges, the battle over bike lanes has become a flashpoint in a larger struggle to shape the city’s transportation future. Cycling advocates argue that a robust bike network is key to creating a more sustainable, livable urban landscape. But the province insists that bike routes are incompatible with the needs of drivers.
With congestion already costing the Toronto region an estimated $6 billion annually in lost productivity, and the leaked memo suggesting that axing bike lanes will compound the problem, policymakers are under immense pressure to find solutions. Whether a compromise can be reached that balances the interests of cyclists and motorists remains to be seen. What’s clear is that Toronto’s bike lane battle is far from over – and its outcome will have profound ramifications for the city’s future.
