Bike lane municipal bill on agenda as Ontario legislature returns

A new bill requiring municipalities to ask the province for permission before they put in bike lanes that reduce lanes of vehicle traffic will be on the agenda as the Ontario legislature returns on Monday.

The Ontario government says the proposed regulation will help to reduce grid lock in populated areas of the province where too many bike lanes are impeding the flow of traffic.

READ MORE: Ontario to make cities ask for permission to install bike lanes

Many of the bike lanes were installed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said at a press conference last week that the existing municipal bike plan process is “out of control”.

“When strategically placed, bike lanes are a vital part of every city, offering residents a safe and reliable way to move around,” he said.

If the bill is passed cities would need to prove that any proposed bike lanes moving forward won’t have a negative impact on vehicular traffic.

According to Sarkaria this is intended for future bike lanes but Doug Ford says the government would also remove “existing” bike lanes if they’re considered problematic.

One lane in question for the government is the bikeway on Stone Church Road in Hamilton that stretches from Golf Links Road to the Red Hill area, but it’s unclear where the zone of concern is.

CHCH asked the government on Thursday if there are any statistics backing the decision to remove the lane. CHCH has yet to hear back.

Critics of the proposed bill and cycling advocates have questioned the legislative move. The Association of Municipalities of Ontario have said the new bike lane proposal is a “significant overreach.”

Some people in the Hamilton community say the decision should be up to the Ontario cities and municipalities.

The provincial government is also tabling new legislation that would speed up construction projects on designated highways including highway 413, the Bradford Bypass and the Garden City Skyway Bridge.

Proposals call for 24-constuction on the projects.

The announcements come as there’s growing speculation that Premier Ford will call an early election next year before the set election date in 2026.

READ MORE: ‘Significant overreach’: Cities slam Ontario on bike lanes as Ford vows to go further

With files from Simone Gavros, CHCH