A group of Toronto cyclists hoping to put a road block in the way of Doug Ford’s bike lane plans have lost their bid to delay them.
Ontario Superior Court Justice Stephen Firestone ruled Friday to deny an injunction brought forward by the group, led by Cycle Toronto, earlier this week against the province’s plan to remove bike lanes on Bloor Street, Yonge Street and University Avenue.
The group was seeking to stop any removal work until its court challenge, which is scheduled for April 16, was heard.
“The short duration for which the injunction is sought might limit the inconvenience to Ontario if it were granted. But the same is true for the applicants. The increased risk of harm they allege will only last a short window until the merits of their Charter claims are considered,” Firestone wrote.
“Given the assumption that the suspension of validly passed law causes irreparable harm, this displaces the applicants’ submission that ‘all else being equal’ on the balance of convenience, the status quo should prevail. I find that the balance tips in favour of Ontario.”
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Cycle Toronto has said Bill 212, The Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, infringes on Charter rights and should be thrown out by a court. It became law on Nov. 25, 2024.
With attention focused on trade disputes, the provincial government has been quiet on the matter since it was re-elected late last month. But in his victory speech after winning a third term as premier on Feb. 27, Ford made a point of mentioning his intention “to bring sanity back to bike lanes.”
Under Bill 212, provincial approval will be required to install new bike lanes in any Ontario municipality, and new separated lanes would be prohibited if infrastructure interferes with existing vehicle traffic.
Ontario has promised to reimburse cities for the cost of removing existing infrastructure, but Ford has balked at the estimates the city has provided, insisting they’re far too high.
The government did not return Global News’ comment request regarding a timeline for when those bike lanes would be removed.
At a press conference Tuesday, Mayor Olivia Chow declined to weigh in on the legal challenge to Bill 212, saying she is still hoping to reach a compromise with the province to keep the bike lanes.
— with files from Isaac Callan and Colin D’Mello
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