Ontario to ask for appeal of court order pausing Toronto bike lane removal [Video]

Ontario is seeking to appeal a temporary court order stopping it from ripping up three major Toronto bike lanes while a judge weighs whether the plan is unconstitutional.

The government served notice of its intent to appeal last month’s injunction to lawyers for a cycling advocacy group challenging its plan to remove lanes on Bloor Street, Yonge Street and University Avenue.

Superior Court Justice Paul Schabas ordered the government last month to keep its hands off the 19 kilometres of bike lanes until he could decide the case.

His injunction ruling cited the public interest in protecting cyclist safety and a lack of evidence backing the government’s claim that removing the lanes would reduce congestion.

In response to Wednesday’s notice, a spokesperson for Ontario’s transportation minister said, “we need to …