Commentary
Bicycle lanes have been a contentious issue in municipal politics for years. Activists advocate for the lanes to boost bike use, while commuters and businesses fight against the roadway congestion created by the bike lanes. In Edmonton, a bike lane was removed in recent years, while in Toronto, businesses are suing the city for lost commerce due to several lanes downtown.
Civic politicians campaign on both sides of the issue, and it appears the back and forth may never end. At least, it seemed that way until now. In a bizarre ruling on July 30, an Ontario court has declared that removing bike lanes would violate the Canadian Charter of Rights. If the ruling survives the appeal filed by the Province of Ontario, bicycle lanes will become an enshrined constitutional right, and it will become illegal for elected politicians to remove them….