Ontario government has spent $270K on outside lawyers in fight to remove bike lanes: FOI | CBC News

"Justice Paul Schabas ruled on July 30, 2025 that the removal of certain bike lanes under provincial legislation introduced in late 2024 will "put people at increased risk of harm and death, which engages the right to life and security of the person." Doug Ford's government had argued bike lanes increase congestion and response times for emergency vehicles in Toronto."

"Up until the July ruling, the government spent just shy of $270,000 on external counsel related to the Cycle Toronto litigation, according to documents obtained by the advocacy group in a freedom of information request, which it shared with CBC Toronto. Cycle Toronto and two individuals launched the court challenge in December 2024. That money doesn't count what the province has paid its own lawyers, or what it owes the applicants in the case $200,000 in costs for the application, Justice Schabas ruled."

"Cycle Toronto executive director Michael Longfield says the group wanted to know what the legal challenge was costing the province, saying they were surprised by the amount. I think we could look at a lot of things the Ontario government could be spending money on to help address issues of traffic congestion in the city. This money could be spent in a lot better places, Longfield said."

The Ontario government spent just shy of $270,000 on external counsel defending its plan to remove protected bike lanes around Toronto, according to documents obtained via a freedom of information request. Cycle Toronto and two individuals launched the court challenge in December 2024. Justice Paul Schabas ruled on July 30, 2025 that removal of certain bike lanes under legislation introduced in late 2024 will put people at increased risk of harm and death. The province had argued bike lanes increase congestion and emergency response times. The external counsel costs exclude in-house legal costs and $200,000 in costs the court ordered the government to pay. The government is appealing the ruling, and Cycle Toronto said the spending could be better allocated.

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