A group of cyclists are calling out Toronto venues for reportedly not allowing them to bring their helmets into concerts and events.

A local cyclist started an online petition this week calling on venues across the city, including Scotiabank Arena and Rogers Centre, to provide accommodations for biking concert-goers. 

According to the petition, some venues don’t allow people to enter with a helmet and might require them to drop the equipment at bag checks for fees that can go up to $20. 

“This discourages people from biking to events, even when they live nearby or the venue is right next to bike lanes. It also discourages biking safely, especially when these events end at night,” the petition organizer wrote. 

The petition is calling on the city to require popular venues to either allow people to enter with their helmets or provide them with affordable options to check in their helmets. 

“We should be encouraging people to ride safely, not making it harder or more expensive,” the petition says. 

Scotiabank Arena and Rogers Centre have a list of prohibited items, including large bags, bikes, selfie sticks, large umbrellas, and more, however helmets are not listed. 

Now Toronto reached out to MLSE and Live Nation for comment, but didn’t receive a response in time for publication. 

In just a few days, the petition has accumulated over 300 signatures as of publication, with other cyclists leaving their supportive comments for the measure. 

“Would these venues ban seat belts in cars? Of course not. Nor should they ban helmets. And if they are uncomfortable with people holding on to their helmets, they should provide free storage for bicycle helmets to encourage responsible and community conscious transportation to events,” one person said. 

“In a city where we struggle with traffic congestion, why would we discourage bike riding?” another person questioned. 

“This is absurd. We judge cyclists for not wearing a helmet. We judge cyclists for wearing a helmet and not having it somehow cease existing upon arrival to an event. I guess we just really really don’t want cyclists,” a different person added. 

With summer being a busy time in Toronto for concerts and events, the city saw a boom in cycling this year, with rental service Bike Share reporting a record 30,442 trips taken in just one day in June, and hitting the 1-million mark throughout July. 

1 MILLION RIDES IN ONE MONTH!!! You made it happen Toronto! 🚲

In 2015, we recorded under 700,000 rides that year. Now? We hit +1 million rides in July!

Thank you Toronto! Here’s to the next million.#bikesharetoronto pic.twitter.com/uyAE13pe2w

— Bike Share Toronto (@BikeShareTO) August 1, 2025

These results also come as Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government is appealing a superior court’s decision blocking the province from removing some Toronto bike lanes as part of  Bill 212. 

Read More

ADVOCATE CALLS FOR ACCOMMODATIONS

Toronto-based personal injury lawyer and cycling advocate David Shellnut tells Now Toronto that the concerns raised in the petition reflect the importance of safety equipment when biking. 

Although helmets don’t entirely prevent accidents, he says they significantly decrease the risk of serious injuries when biking. 

“I think, as a city, as a community of people, we want to encourage safe cycling at all times…Everything we do should be aimed at that, and that includes one of the most important things, encouraging people to wear helmets,” he told Now Toronto on Thursday. 

The lawyer also says that although the venues might have reasonable security reasons for not letting people in with helmets, such policies and steep prices to store the equipment in bag checks could be a barrier for safety. 

As pointed out in the petition, Shellnut also says that possible solutions could be providing affordable spaces for bikers to store their helmets before entering the venue. 

“If you put a price tag on that at already expensive venues for tickets, beers and all that other stuff, [and] another cost for these helmets, that’s going to discourage attendance, possibly but certainly discourage helmet use.”