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Ontario will begin removing bike lanes from a stretch on Bloor Street W. in Etobicoke on Tuesday, the Ministry of Transportation says.
A notice of construction start, issued by the ministry, says the work will occur on a 1.2-kilometre section between Clissold Road and Royal York Road.
Dakota Brasier, spokesperson for Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria, confirmed in an email on Thursday that bike lane removal will begin Oct. 13.
“Following the ruling by the Ontario Court of Appeal, the province announced in September that it would immediately begin restoring motor vehicle lanes on Bloor Street West. That work begins Tuesday,” Brasier said.
The Court of Appeal ruled in August that Premier Doug Ford’s government could rip out 19 kilometres of protected bike lanes in Toronto, reversing a lower-court decision made in July 2025.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said Thursday that the removal of the bike lanes is “completely unacceptable” and an affront to the city by Ontario Premier Doug Ford.
Bike lane removal ‘outrageous,’ Chow says
“It is outrageous. He’s overstepping,” Chow said.
“That is trampling on local democracy, the right of Torontonians through their municipal government to have a say over the municipal affairs of this city. Whether it is bike lanes, speed cameras, Island airport, every element we need to have our say. The city belong to all of us Torontonians through the municipal government,” she said.
“Cyclists needs to be protected, they need to be safe.”
The ministry-issued notice says existing pavement markings and pre-cast concrete curbs will be removed and new pavement markings and signs “to safely restore” an additional vehicle lane in each direction will be installed.
Crews are expected to work primarily at night to reduce the impact on traffic, but may work during the day depending on weather, operational needs and staging requirements, the ministry-issued notice says.
The notice says the work, which may lead to traffic delays, is expected to be finished in November.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow says of the bike lane removal: ‘That is trampling on local democracy, the right of Torontonians through their municipal government to have a say over the municipal affairs of this city.’ (Mehrdad Nazarahari/CBC)
Chow said, if re-elected mayor, she will mobilize efforts against the removal of bike lanes.
“I will do everything I can. I will bring residents and citizens together. We will work together and we will fight back.”
Bike lanes need to be removed if not working: Bradford
Rival mayoral candidate Coun. Brad Bradford said bike lanes need to be removed if they are not working.
“I ride more bikes than anyone who has ever been elected to Toronto City Council for sure. We’ve got the record for that. But I also am going to be pragmatic and recognize when some of the bike lanes aren’t working like they should,” Bradford said.
“And that’s why we’re talking about the section on Etobicoke, part of Bloor from Resurrection Road to the South Kingsway, where you have 38,490 cars per day and 197 bikes. So you allocated 50 per cent of the space to half a percentage of road users and that doesn’t work.”
Coun. Brad Bradford says: ‘Big cities are going to have bike infrastructure and that’s a positive thing. We’re going to have it. But we also have to build trust with Torontonians to recognize if it’s not working, we can fix it.’ (Mehrdad Nazarahari/CBC)
Bradford said some bike lanes, including those on Richmond Street W., Adelaide Street and Danforth Avenue, are working.
“Big cities are going to have bike infrastructure and that’s a positive thing. We’re going to have it. But we also have to build trust with Torontonians to recognize if it’s not working, we can fix it.”
Removal won’t ease congestion, advocate says
Michael Longfield, executive director of local cycling advocacy group CycleTO, said the organization is “outraged but not surprised” that the government has rejected the mayor’s “win-win offer” to restore car lanes but keep bike lanes in Etobicoke.
“Ripping out these protected bike lanes against the will of Toronto city council is a colossal waste of $48 million. The province’s own experts know it will not ease traffic congestion, it will put people’s lives at risk, and there is no network of side streets that could replace these lanes.”
In December 2025, the province completed work to restore a vehicle lane and maintain a bike lane on a 600-metre section of Bloor Street W. from Resurrection Road to Clissold Road. The work that begins Tuesday is east of that section.
The notice says crews will attempt to minimize disruption, saying access to businesses and properties “will be maintained throughout construction,” as well as sidewalk access and emergency access.
Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said in a Sept. 1 news release that the government is committed to tackling traffic congestion.
“Our government was given a clear and direct mandate by the people of Ontario to fight gridlock, including by restoring motor vehicle lanes that are needed to keep drivers moving. We’re keeping our promise,” Sarkaria said.