Latest news with #cyclingadvocates
CTV News
2 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Hundreds attend rally outside Halifax City Hall over bike lane motion
Hundreds of cycling advocates gathered in Halifax Tuesday morning over a motion the mayor plans to table about bike lanes.
CBC
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- CBC
Moncton backpedals on bike lane after drivers complain
Social Sharing The City of Moncton has been adding bicycle lanes for the past several years as part of its active transportation plan. But not every bike lane is permanent — in fact, one will soon be removed along a stretch of St. George Boulevard. The intersection of St. George Boulevard and Wellington Avenue was updated last year to add a bike lane. But that reconfiguration came with the removal of a designated left-turn lane for vehicles. Some Monctonians are having a hard time with the reversal. "Moncton has not been able to really get used to this intersection and its configuration, despite the fact that we do have this left-turn lane across two lanes of traffic in other areas of the city," Leslie Tse, active transportation co-ordinator for the City of Moncton, told Information Morning Moncton. "So it's been determined that we're going to revert it back to its initial configuration." A step in the wrong direction The reconfiguration will be slightly different than the original design. Cyclists will be diverted for only one block instead of two. "Cyclists make the choice whether they feel comfortable riding straight on the street as the bike lane peters out," said Tse. "Honestly, some cyclists will choose to maybe jump onto the sidewalk for that short transition." Many cyclists aren't happy with the city's decision. WATCH | Cycling advocates ' hope it doesn't indicate a trend' Bike lane to be removed from busy Moncton street 21 minutes ago Duration 2:15 "I just hate to see the city give in to the concerns of a few motorists, for the sake of the convenience of a few seconds," said Calvin Martini, president of the Active Transportation Coalition of Moncton. Martini bikes through that intersection frequently, as it's part of his daily commute, using the intersection to transfer from the Northwest Trail to major bike lanes in the city centre. "It's a shame that the city is responding to the concerns of a few drivers to actually reverse that decision made by the city last year," he said. "It will diminish the safety for all road users, not just people on bikes, but also drivers who will now be faced with cars speeding through." Martini said the Active Transportation Coalition is encouraging its 250 members to email their councillors with their concerns, and he's planning to file a formal complaint with the city in the hopes the reversal doesn't happen. More bike lanes to come The city recognizes the reconfiguration won't be ideal for cyclists, but Tse said the city is still working on other active transportation plans in the area, like installing a multi-use path along St. George within the next few years. There are also plans to include bollards in the bike lanes near Centennial Park, and generally to separate vehicle traffic from bike lanes along main roads. "Some cyclists are comfortable on the road, many are not," she said. "And we recognize that, and that's why we want to make a safer network." As for Martini, he's hopeful the reversal is just a one-off. "I think it's a disappointing change in direction for the city, I hope it doesn't indicate a trend," he said. "The safety of bike users is going to continue to be a problem until we have a solid bike network in the city, and we are a long way from that now."
National Post
06-05-2025
- Politics
- National Post
Jamie Sarkonak: Judges usurp government for drug addicts and cyclists
In the weeks of the election period, Canadian courts were busy preventing any legislation of controversy from taking effect — and they went relatively unnoticed. On March 28, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice blocked the Ontario government from banning supervised consumption sites near schools and daycares. It struck again on April 22, halting the Ontario government from removing Toronto's bike lanes. Article content Article content Article content Days later, on April 24, the Quebec Superior Court cancelled the province's planned mega-tuition hike for out-of-province students. Article content Article content In the case of Toronto's major bike lanes — on Bloor Street, Yonge Street and University Avenue — Ontario Premier Doug Ford had, in theory, all the power he needed to remove them. Municipalities are creatures of the province, and traffic regulation is also a provincial domain; thus, provincial legislatures can override just about anything that a city council does, especially if related to roads. So, in November, Ford legislated the removal of the lanes, which were previously constructed by city authorities (he was later re-elected premier, so clearly bike lane preservation wasn't a priority for voters). Article content In December, cycling advocates launched a court challenge that, really, should have been laughed out of the room. They argued that the removal of bike lanes amounted to a violation of their Charter rights, specifically the Section 7 catch-all right to life, liberty and security. Article content It remains to be seen whether there is a Charter right that guarantees two per cent of the population the right to have specialty lanes built for their commuting pleasure — the trial process is still underway. In the meantime, Ontario's Judge Paul Schabas, a Liberal appointee, has granted the cycling advocates an injunction to keep the lanes in place, because allowing their dismantling to go forward would impose an injunction-worthy risk of 'irreparable harm' to Toronto's cyclists. Article content 'There is no evidence that the government has engaged in any planning as to how the bike lanes will be removed or what will replace them,' Schabas wrote in the decision. 'The demolition and reconstruction will create its own impacts on traffic — both for cyclists and motor vehicles — and will likely result in considerable disturbance and congestion while that is taking place. Cyclists who continue to use these routes will be at risk of irreparable physical harm for which … the government will not provide any compensation in damages.' Article content And, just like that, a judge overruled a decision of the elected legislature, opting instead to take, temporarily, the zero-risk-tolerance advice of unelected government consultants. It's at least good that Ford is appealing Schabas' decision. Article content Ontario's attempt to shut down certain drug consumption sites — specifically, those that were dangerously close to schools and daycares — went much the same way. Ford passed the law in December with the intention of making some basic, common-sense community safety improvements, acknowledging the reality that drug use sites are magnets for disorder, petty crime and sometimes-fatal gang violence.
