Premier Doug Ford announced on Sept. 1 that a section of the Bloor Street bike lanes in Etobicoke would be adjusted “immediately” to add a lane of vehicle traffic. As of late September, no changes had been made, but could happen any time.
That same day, according to documents obtained by the Toronto Star, “the province issued a request for proposals (RFP), asking contractors to bid on the removal or reconfiguration of more than 19 kilometres of protected bike lanes along the city’s main arterial streets, including Bloor, Yonge and University.”
The Etobicoke lanes which could change any day are separate from the RFP.
The deadline for bids on the RFP is Dec. 2, and the province plans to assign the contracts by Dec. 17. The timeline to complete the changes to bike lanes is December 2028.
Michael Longfield, executive director of Cycle Toronto, estimated based on the Star’s reporting that bike lane removals or adjustments could happen at the earliest starting in spring 2027.
According to the Star, “the province has asked contractors for design and costing options for both the full removal of bike lanes — and keeping the bike lanes while adding back a lane of traffic.”
The province is reportedly prioritizing finding alternatives to the existing bike lanes on Yonge and University.
New reporting from Spacing indicates the actual changes might not start until later in 2027 or beyond.
Cyclists, who have fought for decades for better bike lanes, have slammed the province for proposing the changes, which could endanger bike riders. Critical Mass rides taking over Toronto streets have been massive this fall.
UPDATE Sept 29 & 30, 2026: The article has been updated for clarity and to include Spacing’s reporting.
This article appeared in the 2026 Oct/Nov issue.
