- Doug Ford Versus Toronto's Bike Lanes

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has been laser-focused on ridding Toronto of as many bike lanes as possible, passing a new law to prevent the city from building new bike lanes and using the power of the provincial government to rip out existing ones. Targeted for removal are approximately 19 kilometers of bike lanes on Bloor Street, Yonge Street and University Avenue, important parts of the city's bike lane network. In just the last week, courageous activists have taken to the streets by the hundreds, with many people putting their bodies on the line every day to stop crews from dismantling bike lanes that so many Torontonians who ride bikes depend on. (Not to mention the people who don't ride bikes, who benefit from the traffic calming protected bike lanes provide.)

Cycle Toronto executive director Michael Longfield as well as Bronwyn Roe, an attorney with Ecojustice, join us to talk about where things stand, the continuing legal battle, and what this all means not just for Toronto, but for the future of safe streets and of local control. The fight to save Toronto's bike lanes may be one of the most important stories in the world of safe streets and transportation right now, with big implications for cities' abilities to determine their own destiny.

SHOW NOTES:

Protesters were successful in getting bike lane removal crews to stand down. (Toronto Star)

People continue to put their bodies on the line to save Toronto's bike lanes. (CBC)

Provincial government findings contradict the provincial government's reasoning for removing bike lanes. (Toronto Star)

Ford government rejected Toronto's compromise to keep bike lanes and car lanes. (Toronto Star)

The fight to save Toronto's bike lanes may go all the way to Canada's Supreme Court. (CBC)

John Lornic: What's happening in Toronto is about more than bike lanes. (Toronto Star)

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