July 26th, 2025 - Drivers vs. Cyclists: A Growing Conflict for Street Space in Toronto

In Toronto, a growing conflict between cyclists and drivers is centered around the city's bike lanes, which have expanded significantly in recent years. For years, Melanie Ng, a doctoral student and avid cyclist, felt optimistic as Toronto added more bike lanes, making biking in the city safer and less stressful. But recently, after facing criticism from drivers and the provincial government, Toronto's progress appears to be at risk. Ontario Premier Doug Ford passed a law that would remove 14 miles of bike lanes from key streets, claiming that these lanes worsened traffic.

Toronto’s new mayor, Olivia Chow, disagrees with the provincial government's move, emphasizing the city’s right to determine street rules. While she has suggested potential compromises, like relocating or redesigning bike lanes, the removal of bike lanes remains a contentious issue. Drivers, such as longtime taxi driver Nasser Moradman, argue that the bike lanes contribute to the city’s chronic traffic congestion, particularly during the winter months when the lanes are less used. Meanwhile, cycling advocates, alongside legal challengers, have pushed back against the removal of bike lanes, claiming that the province's actions threaten cyclist safety.

The debate around bike lanes isn't just local—it mirrors global discussions about urban planning and transportation. Cities like New York and Paris have embraced bike lanes to make streets safer and encourage sustainable modes of transport. However, many drivers, particularly those who rely on vehicles for work, argue that these lanes negatively impact traffic flow. In Toronto, where about two million people commute by car on workdays, congestion is already a significant issue, costing the region billions in lost productivity.

While biking infrastructure in Toronto has expanded, with 67 miles of bike lanes added between 2020 and 2024, the cost of removing them would be steep—an estimated $35 million. Cycling advocates argue that the removal of bike lanes could lead to more deaths and injuries, citing that six cyclists were killed in the city last year, the highest number in two decades. They argue that removing bike lanes would be a backward step for the city and its cycling community.

Critics of the Ontario government's decision point out that the province has failed to show how removing bike lanes would alleviate traffic congestion. In fact, Michael Longfield, executive director of Cycle Toronto, claims there’s no factual basis for the claim that bike lanes are to blame for the city’s traffic problems. Moreover, the Ontario government has passed measures protecting itself from lawsuits from injured cyclists, which advocates see as an acknowledgment that cyclists will be harmed by the removal of bike lanes.

The debate has deepened the divide between cyclists and drivers, with some questioning the provincial government’s priorities. While Doug Ford has expressed that he’s not against bike lanes in principle, he has stated that they should not be placed on main arterial roads. As the legal challenges and public protests continue, the city’s future approach to bike lanes remains uncertain, with many fearing that vital infrastructure for cyclists may be lost in the battle for Toronto’s streets.

Word of the Day(Merriam-Webster) - Embellish (verb, im-BELL-ish) - To embellish something is to make it more appealing or attractive with fanciful or decorative details.

Example: The gift shop had cowboy shirts and hats embellished with beads and stitching.