What to know
- Bike lane removal on Bloor Street in Etobicoke is set to begin Tuesday at 8 p.m., despite ongoing legal challenges to the province’s decision.
- Biking lawyer Dave Shellnutt warns the removal could increase cyclist injuries and worsen congestion by pushing more people to drive. He said he would use his SUV to take his daughter to daycare if the bike lane disappears.
- Shellnutt says there is no convenient alternative eastbound cycling route in Etobicoke. City reporting showed injuries on Bloor Street decreased after bike lanes were installed, while cycling increased by more than 40 per cent.
- Cycle Toronto is seeking leave to appeal the Ontario Court of Appeal’s decision to the Supreme Court of Canada. Shellnutt is urging residents to protest, contact elected officials and hold politicians accountable at the ballot box.
The removal of bike lanes on Bloor Street in Etobicoke is beginning on Tuesday and could put cyclists at risk and push more people into cars, according to a Toronto bike lawyer.
Bike lane removal was set to begin around 8 p.m., however, Dave Shellnutt, the founding partner of the Biking Lawyer LLP, Lawyers for Injured Cyclists, told Now Toronto that the fight is still ongoing, with hopes to appeal the province’s decision despite Bloor Street’s construction being imminent on Tuesday.
The conversation and debate surrounding the removal of the bike lanes in the city have been ongoing since 2024, after Ontario Premier Doug Ford first announced plans to intervene in the municipal government’s bike lane management.
Shellnutt said the removal is one that hits personally for him as well as professionally, with the Bloor Street lane as one he often uses to take his young daughter to daycare.
“We have a safe bike lane, and that’s the only place I feel safe riding with her. If those are removed, I will take my SUV to drop her off, and guess what? Congestion is made worse,” he told Now Toronto.
Professionally, Shellnutt said his firm sees cyclists being injured across the provinces, especially by vehicles.
“That doesn’t happen where there’s bike lanes,” he explained. “It happens where there is open conflict between cyclists and motorists [due to] intersections, close passes, [and] dooring incidents, where there isn’t a bike lane that separates the two road users.”
Shellnutt added that this will lead to more collisions and injuries involving cyclists.
“It’s really upsetting that the province will put people in that position,” he said.
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The province is moving ahead with removing bike lanes on sections of major Toronto streets, including Bloor Street, Yonge Street, University Avenue, Queen’s Park, Queen’s Park Crescent and Avenue Road.
‘There is no alternative route’
It’s a move the province has been saying will help with traffic congestion around the city, although Shellnutt said he believes the changes could discourage people from cycling, push them to drive more, and create more safety risks for those who continue to ride on the road.
Shellnutt also questioned if cyclists in Etobicoke would have practical alternatives once the Bloor Street lanes are gone.
“No one from the government has been able to point to a route eastbound that would be anywhere close to as convenient as the direct Bloor River line,” he said. “So, there is no alternative route.”
He added that some people who cycle could switch to driving or public transit because of the removal.
“It’s not going to help us reach our climate goals. It’s not going to keep people healthy and out there and exercising, and it’s not going to do anything for congestion, as the premier’s internal reporting very well shows,” Shellnutt explained.
Prior reporting by the city showed that bike lane injuries on Bloor Street dropped since the installation of the bike lanes. Additionally, the same reporting showed that the installation of bike lanes led to a more than 40 per cent increase in cyclists, pointing to fewer vehicles on the road.
Shellnutt also pointed to previous reporting from the Ministry of Transportation.
“The Ministry of Transportation’s own reporting confirmed that removing these bike lanes won’t contribute to a decrease in congestion in the GTA. It won’t happen,” he said.
Shellnutt speculated that the decision is politically motivated rather than a response to traffic concerns.
“They’re doing these lanes to score political points in the premier’s personal backyard,” he said. “Regardless if you ride a bike or not, you shouldn’t stand for politicians being disingenuous.”
Shellnutt added that the provincial government made sure to protect the province from liability within the provisions.
“They know that removing bike lanes will lead to more people injured… They’re consciously making this decision,” he said.
He added that the legislation included wording that shielded the province from any potential accountability.
Can anything be done?
Shellnutt admitted that the premier is trying to get this work done as fast as possible.
“The premier is moving quickly,” he said.
Despite this, Shellnutt said that legal challenges remain possible, but the fight could take time.
Cycle Toronto announced it was seeking leave to appeal the Ontario Court of Appeal’s decision to the Supreme Court of Canada.
Additionally, Shellnutt said residents against the bike lane removals can hold elected officials accountable through local advocacy and at the ballot box.
“Boy oh boy, can voters hold them accountable when they go to the polls at the next election, and that’s probably the only thing that these folks in political office understand,” he said.
Shellnutt encouraged cyclists to continue riding and making their concerns known to elected officials.
“Really important that we keep out there riding, enjoying the thing that we all love so much, keeps us healthy, lets us explore this wonderful city,” he said.
He also encouraged residents to participate in demonstrations opposing the removals.
One rally against the removals was scheduled to begin at around 5 p.m. Tuesday, ahead of construction that was expected to start at 8 p.m. that evening in Etobicoke.
“As long as they try and take out bike lanes, we will oppose it,” Shellnutt said.
