Judge backs cyclists in fight to remove Toronto bike lanes

Bike lanes are apparently a Charter-protected right, according to a judge in Ontario. Sheila Gunn Reid and Tamara Ugolini share their thoughts on dealing with Toronto's never-ending traffic nightmare.

An Ontario court has blocked Premier Doug Ford's plan to remove bike lanes from a portion of downtown Toronto, citing the Charter of Rights as Freedoms in the decision. 

The ruling sparked backlash from the provincial government, which said it was elected by voters to make decisions — not judges — and was attempting to ease congestion among commuters.

On Thursday's Rebel Roundup livestream, hosts Sheila Gunn Reid and Tamara Ugolini shared their thoughts on whether the judge was right to back cyclists in their challenge against the province.

“The fact that we've lived through the last five years of constitutionally infringing government actions — repeatedly, excessively and aggressively — and we're here now with bike lane removal being deemed unconstitutional, this is peak bizarro world,” said Tamara.

“I say it all the time: I don't think it can get any crazier, and something like this comes out,” she added.

Sheila, who occasionally visits Toronto from Alberta, said she was “always overwhelmed by the traffic” in Canada's largest city. “Even in the middle of the night it's bad.”

And data backs that claim up, with Toronto traffic being ranked among the worst in the world.

“It's just horrendous,” Sheila continued, aghast at the number of lanes filled with cars. “You just feel like an ant in an ant colony, it's oppressive.”

Tamara, a resident of Cobourg, about 120 km to the east of Toronto, said that while the distance might suggest an hour drive, in reality its much longer.

The lengthy drive leads to a type of “PTSD thinking about driving in the city,” she said. “I have no qualms about driving in the city, but it's the vast amount of time wasted.”

 

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COMMENTS

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  • Bernhard Jatzeck
    commented 2025-08-01 23:14:41 -0400
    I’m a cyclist and I find bike lanes to be a nuisance. There’s not enough room on the street for motorists to pass by at a safe distance. Bike paths are safer for both cyclists and drivers.
  • Bruce Atchison
    commented 2025-08-01 21:25:24 -0400
    BALONEY! Where in the charter does it mention bike lanes? Cyclists like David Menzies ride in traffic with other vehicles. Can’t these bikes-only people do the same?