TORONTO – Ontario is planning to make cities ask the province for permission if they want to install bike lanes that would remove lanes of vehicle traffic.
Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria says too many drivers are stuck in gridlock as a result of bike lanes that were installed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The requirement for municipalities to receive provincial approval and demonstrate that proposed bike lanes won’t negatively affect vehicle traffic will be contained in the first bill the Progressive Conservative government tables when the legislature resumes sitting next week.
Premier Doug Ford, who lives in the west end of Toronto, has complained about bike lanes that were installed on Bloor Street West, saying the street is jammed and first responders are having a hard time getting through the congestion.
Sarkaria says the province is not ordering the removal of those bike lanes at the moment, but is asking for more data and pausing the installation of any new, similar bike lanes.
Sarkaria also says the province is moving ahead with a plan to increase the speed limit to 110 kilometres per hour on all 400-series highways, where it is safe to do so.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2024.
