Ontarios bill to remove certain bike lanes to be tested with Charter challenge [Video]

The Ontario government’s “irrational and dangerous” bid to remove three major Toronto bike lanes should be ruled unconstitutional, a lawyer for a group of cyclists said in court Wednesday, arguing the province’s own internal advice and experts suggest the move won’t accomplish its stated goal to ease congestion.

Lawyers for a Toronto cycling advocacy group and two other cyclists asked the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to strike down parts of a law empowering the province to remove the 19 kilometres of protected bike lanes on Yonge Street, Bloor Street and University Avenue, and replace them with vehicle lanes.

“It’s a narrow challenge to what we see as the irrational and dangerous ways that this government has chosen to remove these bike lanes,” said lawyer Andrew Lewis.

Justice Paul Schabas said Wednesday he would decide within days whether to grant an injunction to stop the province from removing lanes while …