Ontario Completes Removal of Bike Lanes on Bloor Street West

The following news release was issued by the Government of Ontario (Ministry of Transportation).

Province restores motor vehicle lanes between Clissold Road and Royal York Road to reduce gridlock and increase access to local businesses

October 30, 2026

TORONTO — The Ontario government has completed the removal of bike lanes on Bloor Street West, restoring motor vehicle lanes along a 1.2-kilometre section of one of Toronto’s busiest streets. The completed work restores vehicle lanes in both directions between Clissold Road and Royal York Road and is part of the government’s plan to protect Ontario by reducing gridlock, supporting local businesses and giving drivers more time back in their day.

“We were elected with a clear mandate to fight gridlock, restore traffic lanes and get drivers moving again, and that’s exactly what we’re doing,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “We’ve been clear that bike lanes belong where they make sense, not where they make congestion worse. Today, we’re delivering on our commitment to restore road capacity on Bloor Street West and get traffic moving on one of Toronto’s busiest streets.”

The restoration of vehicle lanes included the removal of existing bike lane infrastructure, including precast curbs, delineators, signs and bus pads, as well as the completion of pavement repairs, resurfacing, new road markings and updated signage.

Restoring vehicle lanes on Bloor Street West follows an August 2026 ruling by the Ontario Court of Appeal, which unanimously found that decisions about the design of public roadways are policy matters for the elected Legislature, not the courts.

Quick Facts

A report from the Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis found that gridlock in Ontario is costing the province $56 billion a year.

The Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, 2024 and Plan to Protect Ontario Act, 2025 requires the restoration of motor vehicle lanes on specific sections of Toronto streets.

In December 2025, Ontario restored a vehicle lane while maintaining a bike lane on a 600-metre section of Bloor Street West from Resurrection Road to Clissold Road.

In September 2026, Ontario issued a request for proposals to study and provide design options for restoring vehicle lanes on sections of Bloor Street, Yonge Street, University Avenue, Queen’s Park, Queen’s Park Crescent and Avenue Road. The work will also identify opportunities to retain or reconfigure bike lanes where it will not increase congestion.