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Table of Contents
- Statement from the Executive Director
-
Bill 212 Update: The Resistance Continues
- Bill 212 is now law
- Cycle Toronto launches legal challenge
- Province confirms no removal until March 2025
- Cycling for Older Adults
- Tough times for “e-bikes” in Ontario
- Toronto Approves Side Guards
- How a Bike Lane is Born #7
- Social Media Spotlight
- In the Media
- Events
-
Volunteer Opportunities
- Bike Brigade
- General Canvassing
Statement from the Executive Director
When the Toronto Cyclists Union was formed in 2008, I looked at it with curiosity. Clearly, there was a need for it, but what is it? Toronto wasn’t a particularly friendly place to ride a bike, and for all the good intentions of Mayor Miller’s administration, there didn’t seem to be any urgency in making it better. But although cycling was my primary way of getting around town, was I really a “cyclist”? And “activism” was something other people did, I thought, not having a clue of how to start or organize. But I rode a little happier knowing somebody was looking out for us.
It took Mayor Ford’s clown-show inauguration ceremony to make me slap down my $27 two years later. What did it get me? Shortly thereafter, the painted bike lanes on Jarvis, Birchmount, and Pharmacy would all get promptly ripped out. But it made me realize that if I wanted change to happen, I had to be a part of that change. And with membership I knew I could help play a part.
My neighbourhood has blossomed with new bike lanes, especially since the city’s accelerated rollout of cycling infrastructure since the early months of the pandemic. My trip to the office is a very comfortable 6 km–almost entirely in protected cycle tracks or neighbourhood contraflows–and I have multiple routes to choose from depending on what errands I’m running before or after work. Winter maintenance has been improving every year, and the occasional days it’s too treacherous to ride are the days it’s probably best for everyone to stay home.
As executive director, I’m in this fight against Bill 212 because I know it will set our city back decades. It will make Toronto a less vibrant city to live in, and contribute to making it living here somehow even more unaffordable. Toronto is a modern city, and modern cities build bike lanes. Even with our all recent progress, cities like Montreal and New York remain far ahead.
It’s also personal. I love our bike lanes. I depend on them. I’m proud of the historic next step Cycle Toronto has taken launching a Charter of Rights and Freedom legal challenge against this horrific legislation, and overwhelmed by the outpouring of support. Together, we will save our bike lanes.
-Michael Longfield, Executive Director
Bill 212 Update: The Resistance Continues
Bill 212 is now law
On November 25th, the province’s anti-bike lane legislation Bill 212 — Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, 2024, passed third reading and received Royal Assent. Bill 212 is now law. Without any evidence to back up its claims, the Government of Ontario has given itself full authority to approve, deny, and rip out bike lanes. Read our official submission.
(Summary of the 19,124 public comments submitted to the Environmental Registry Ontario about Bill 212 slamming the legislation. Read more: https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-9266)
Rumours have been circulating that the province was determined to rush ahead and start removal as soon as possible. In a recent newsletter, Ottawa Centre MPP Joel Harden disclosed alleged plans for the removal could start before the end of the year:
The government has notified the City of Toronto that it is retaining its own contractors to undertake bike lane removals. They have targeted 500 metres of the most western section of the Bloor Street bike lane and 400 metres of the Yonge Street bike lane. They intend to have this work completed before the end of December 2024.
Cycle Toronto launches legal challenge
On December 11th, Cycle Toronto launched a Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms Section 7 challenge to the provincial government’s Bill 212 — Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, 2024, arguing the law’s mandated removal of Toronto’s bike lanes will put lives at risk.
Joined by individual applicants Eva Stanger-Ross and Narada Kiondo, and represented by lawyers from Ecojustice and Paliare Roland LLP, the lawsuit also seeks an immediate injunction to prevent the removal of target bike lanes on Bloor Street, University Avenue, and Yonge Street.
(Left to right: Ecojustice lawyer Bronwyn Roe, Cycle Toronto Board Chair Dana O’Born, and individual applicant Eva Stanger-Ross.)
Section 7 of Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms reads: “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice.” Bill 212 is not just dangerous legislation. It is an infringement on the principles of fundamental justice.
Read about our legal challenge in more detail on our website.
Province confirms no removal until March 2025
In response to our legal action, the province has backtracked from an alleged December start and confirms no bike lane removal will begin until at least March 20, 2025.
And our goal is that they don't ever get the chance to start at all.
Read about our legal challenge’s first win on our website.
Cycling for Older Adults
Cycle Toronto is working to promote age-friendly cycling practices for older adults through its "Pathways to Mobility” project.
The project raises awareness of cycling benefits and informs City of Toronto strategies for supporting active transportation for seniors. This fall, four workshops were held in Scarborough to introduce older adults to cycling. Participants improved their cycling confidence, especially through the use of e-bikes and e-cargo bikes.
This project is funded by the Government of Canada’s Active Transportation Fund and Echo Foundation.
Read more about the Pathways to Mobility project on our website.
(The Cycle Toronto team of Older Adult Cycling Facilitators and Bike Share Toronto representatives.)
Tough Times for “e-bikes” in Ontario
Recently, the TTC approved an ill-conceived seasonal ban on e-bikes on TTC vehicles. Without minimizing the real risks of battery fire, we had concerns with how the TTC's ban conflicts with Metrolinx's policy focused on battery safety (specifically requiring "UL" or "CE" certification). A blanket or seasonal ban will only result in creating confusion especially for people who take their e-bikes and e-scooters on the GO Train and later want to use the TTC.
This comes while the province approved regulatory changes to e-bikes and other forms of micromobility vehicles with Bill 197, Safer Roads and Communities Act, 2024.
Cycle Toronto submitted comments to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee expressing concerns with the direction the province was headed in.
(Some Bike Share e-bikes docked at the waterfront. Image: Bike Share Toronto)
Toronto Approves Side Guards
This week City Council voted unanimously to approve Mayor Chow’s motion to make side guards mandatory on all city trucks and heavy-duty vehicles by 2026.
Research from around the world suggests side guards can help reduce pedestrian fatalities by 20 per cent and cyclist fatalities by over 60 per cent, essentially by preventing a person from being pulled under the truck during a collision.
For Cycle Toronto, this has been a decade-long fight. Making them mandatory for all city contractor vehicles and even any large truck within city limits would be excellent next steps assuming continued inaction from the provincial and federal governments.
How a Bike Lane is Born #7: Construction Wraps Up (For Now)
Welcome back to How a Bike Lane is Born, the investigative series where we try to understand, and then explain, how new bike infrastructure comes to be. From the earliest line on a map to the final flexpost, no stone will be left unturned.
Previous editions focused on the future Portland Street bikeways’ historical context, its community consultations, its first trip to City Hall for the Infrastructure and Environment Committee, its dramatic appearance at City Council, and most recently, its birth.
In this seventh edition of How a Bike Lane is Born, and final for a little while, we give a quick update on construction progress on the southern half of this exciting project.
Read the full article on our website.
(Left: Looking north towards Dan Leckie and Fort York. Right: Looking north towards the Puente de Luz and Front Street West.)
Social Media Spotlight
Can’t get enough Cycle Toronto content? As we near the end of this month’s Ring & Post, you may find yourself already yearning for more. Although our newsletter is monthly, we post on our social media channels daily. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter / X, or TikTok to stay up-to-date on Cycle Toronto news and events. Here are some highlights from this month:
(An Instagram reel discussing some misleading statistics used by the province in regards to Bill 212.)
Note: Click image to visit original post.
(A Blue Sky post announcing Cycle Toronto’s legal challenge against Bill 212.)
Note: Click image to visit original post.
In the Media
Toronto bike lane removals to start in March at the earliest | The Trillium
Here’s when Toronto’s bike lanes could be ripped up in 2025 | blogTO
Is there a right to bike lanes? Bill 212’s Charter challenge, explained | TVO
Court challenge launched against Ontario bike lane removal legislation | CBC
Doug Ford’s bike lane law target of a Charter challenge | Toronto Star
Toronto cyclists fight back: Charter challenge launched over Ford’s bike lane cuts | NOW Toronto
How a handful of Toronto businessmen got their way on bike lanes provincewide | The Trillium
Toronto cycling advocate Michael Longfield doored, breaks leg | Cycling Magazine
The world's dumbest bike lane law just passed in Canada | Not Just Bikes
Events
Pathways to Mobility Project Lunch
Date: January 20th, 2025
Time: 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Pathways to Mobility is a project focused on promoting age-friendly cycling practices among older adults.
We will be hosting a special event at the Malvern Family Resource Centre to share the results of our Pathways to Mobility project, followed by a catered lunch.
Details will be announced in the New Year.
Coldest Day of the Year Ride
Save the date: Saturday, February 15th
Join Cycle Toronto and Smart Commute for our annual celebration of winter cycling and family-friendly group ride. This year’s ride along the Bloor West bikeways was a record-breaking 15.7 C, which made for a pleasant event and a reminder of the urgency of the climate crisis.
Volunteer Opportunities
(A Cycle Toronto volunteer chats with a cyclist at Bloor and Shaw last month.)
Cycle Toronto
As we continue to get the word out about Bill 212, we’ll be hosting more canvassing and outreach shifts in the new year. Want to be part of the team? Check out our volunteer page here.
The Bike Brigade
The Bike Brigade is a group of volunteer cyclists delivering food and other essentials by bike across Toronto. Especially over the colder winter months, there’s a demand for more volunteer riders to support. If you have a bike, you can ride with The Bike Brigade. Delivery schedules are flexible and happen 7 days a week, 364 days of the year.
Check out their website’s volunteer page here for more info.
Hope you enjoyed this edition of the Ring & Post. As always, every donation counts to help us continue the work you've read about in this newsletter.
Cycle Toronto
https://www.cycleto.ca/
