Ontario finishes removing bike lanes on Bloor Street West in Etobicoke
The province says it has finished removing 1.2 kilometres of protected cycling infrastructure between Clissold Road and Royal York Road, the first completed bike lane removal under the Ford government's program.
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The Ontario government said Friday it has finished removing protected bike lanes on a 1.2-kilometre stretch of Bloor Street West in Etobicoke, between Clissold Road and Royal York Road. CityNews Toronto reported the news, citing a provincial release issued the same day.
The province says crews removed precast curbs, delineators, signage and bus pads before completing pavement repairs, resurfacing, new road markings and updated traffic signage. Motor vehicle lanes have been reinstated in both directions along the corridor.
Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said the project delivers on a commitment to restore road capacity. "We've been clear that bike lanes belong where they make sense, not where they make congestion worse," Sarkaria said in a statement. "Today, we're delivering on our commitment to restore road capacity on Bloor Street West."
This is the first bike lane removal the Ford government has completed in Toronto.
Legal and political fight
The removal followed a court battle. In August, the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled unanimously that decisions about the design of public roads are matters of public policy within the authority of the provincial legislature, clearing the way for the province to proceed.
Mayor Olivia Chow had called the bike lane removals "outrageous" when the province announced work on this stretch earlier in October. She argued the province had not demonstrated the changes would reduce congestion. Cycling advocates staged protests as crews began work on October 14, and police made arrests during demonstrations at the site. Advocates later installed a memorial bicycle sculpture along the corridor, citing concerns about cyclist safety.
What comes next
CityNews Toronto reported that the province issued a request for proposals in September for design options on several other major roads, including sections of Bloor Street, Yonge Street, University Avenue, Queen's Park, Queen's Park Crescent and Avenue Road. That study will also examine where bike lanes can be kept or changed without increasing congestion, the province said.
Cyclists who used the Bloor Street West protected lanes between Clissold Road and Royal York Road now share motor vehicle lanes on that stretch. Residents can follow decisions by the City of Toronto and Mayor Chow at the Toronto 2026 news page and track the mayor's commitments at Olivia Chow's page on voche.me.
Questions this story answers
Which stretch of Bloor Street West had its bike lanes removed?
CityNews Toronto reported on October 30, 2026 that the Ontario government completed the removal of protected bike lanes on a 1.2-kilometre stretch of Bloor Street West between Clissold Road and Royal York Road in Etobicoke. Motor vehicle lanes have been reinstated in both directions along that corridor.
What did the removal include?
According to CityNews Toronto, the province said crews removed precast curbs, delineators, signage and bus pads. Crews also completed pavement repairs, resurfacing, new road markings and updated traffic signage along the full 1.2-kilometre stretch.
What did Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria say?
CityNews Toronto quoted Sarkaria saying in a statement: 'We've been clear that bike lanes belong where they make sense, not where they make congestion worse. Today, we're delivering on our commitment to restore road capacity on Bloor Street West.' He described it as delivering on an election commitment to fight gridlock.
What did Mayor Olivia Chow say about the bike lane removals?
CityNews Toronto reported that Mayor Chow called the bike lane removals outrageous when the province announced work would begin in October. She argued the province had not demonstrated the changes would reduce congestion. The article does not include a new statement from Chow specifically about the completion.
What did the Ontario Court of Appeal rule?
CityNews Toronto reported that in August the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled unanimously that decisions about the design of public roads are matters of public policy within the authority of the provincial legislature rather than the courts. That decision cleared the way for the province to proceed with removing bike lanes in Toronto.
What happened during the construction work?
CityNews Toronto reported that cycling advocates staged protests as crews began work on October 14. Police made arrests during demonstrations near the construction zone. Advocates also installed a memorial bicycle sculpture along the corridor to highlight concerns about cyclist safety.
Which other Toronto roads are being reviewed for bike lane changes?
CityNews Toronto reported that in September the province issued a request for proposals seeking design options for restoring vehicle lanes on sections of Bloor Street, Yonge Street, University Avenue, Queen's Park, Queen's Park Crescent and Avenue Road. The study will also examine where bike lanes can be kept or reconfigured.
Where can residents follow decisions about Toronto's streets and cycling infrastructure?
Residents can track Mayor Olivia Chow's commitments and decisions by Toronto City Council at the Toronto 2026 election tracker on voche.me at /on/toronto-2026/candidates/olivia-chow, and follow all Toronto news coverage at /on/toronto-2026/news.
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