Warms my heart to see even local residents beginning to oppose the lane removals, even if they themselves think they were poorly designed.

And also fantastic they showed how slow traffic will get behind slow bicycles.

I think from now on, we need to bring signs to future rallies saying stuff like “Accept Chow’s win-win!”

Overall, great to see the locals open to Chow’s win win solution.

A recent poll by the way showed Chow leading slightly, even in Etobicoke

No AI used, just PowerPoint. With some inspiration from the Highway 413 signs.

Ps. if you're worried about going out and protesting in person, so was I. I went out today for the first time. It was chill and the protestors are kind and look after each other and you just really have to stand there and hold a sign, there's no pressure to do anything. There was coffee, snacks etc. No one expects you to be there all day. Showing up is the important part. The amount of drivers showing support outweighed the few who yelled some nasty words and then drove away.

TONIGHT SINGLE FILE RIDE DOWN THE LANE, TO SHOW HOW MUCH WORSE TRAFFIC WILL BE WITH NO LANES.

PLEASE WE MUST RIDE AS A GROUP SINGLE FILE, NO UNLAWFUL BEHAVIOUR.

Hi all, since we can no longer ride in the bike lanes or deter the slowing of bike lane removal. The best way to show the province that this was wrong and to stop the removal of other lanes is to ride the driving lane together.

Cars are single occupancy, we need to ride single occupancy.

Tonight all riders protesting please cycle and follow rules of the road.

Bloor between Royal York

I know, I know. I also think it's a terrible idea; but hear me out. Lots of people INSIST Bloor will be just fine once it's 4 car lanes again; but I think maybe they haven't really thought it through.

TPS put out press releases regularly announcing public safety programs that target cyclists. They even run workshops for kids who want to learn how to ride a bike safely.

So here's the challenge to the Toronto Police: explain how kids can safely ride in traffic on Bloor and other major streets that have destinations families and kids need to go to.

The Minister of Transportation seems to think it's just as safe with or without bike lanes; and that bringing Bloor to 4 lanes is going to be safe to cycle in. I don't agree; it doesn't feel that safe for adults and it's insane to me that kids are expected to do this.

...but to the people who say so, prove it. Or just say the words out loud in public: Bloor will be safe for children to cycle in after the bike lanes are removed.

I want to see Toronto Police say publicly that it's safe for a child to ride in rush hour traffic. And I want them to run a workshop to actually teach the kids. I think this workshop would be an unmitigated disaster - I think it's impossible to do this safely - but lots of people seem to disagree with me and I would love to see them try.

There's precedent for this. Here are a few examples of previous TPS outreach to people who ride bikes (including kids who ride bikes):

https://www.tps.ca/media-centre/stories/officers-help-kids-feel-joy-of-cycling/

Since 2021, Toronto Police 22 Division Neighbourhood Community Officers have been teaching youth basic riding skills, fitting them with helmets and sizing them for bikes.

https://www.tps.ca/media-centre/news-releases/66642/

Running from today until August 24, 2026, the campaign aims to increase public awareness of Toronto's micromobility vehicle regulations, encourage safe and lawful road use, and reduce collisions involving vulnerable road users.

Also, this is a neat find:

Members of our Traffic Services Unit are available for media interviews upon request. Please contact [corpcomm@tps.ca](mailto:corpcomm@tps.ca) to arrange. 

Found this screenshot on a Facebook post.

Verdi Alliance is the main company that has been contracted to remove the bike lanes in a very opaque $48m contract.

Who are they? You will be “shocked” to learn they are donors to Doug Ford and bought a ton of rural land before the Greenbelt scandal exploded.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/land-owners-developers-ottawa-urban-boundary-expansion-1.6660490

This makes me both sad and angry

With the Bloor bike lane removal progressing quickly, is there one central place to find upcoming protest rides, including dates, times, and meeting locations?

Information seems scattered across Reddit and Instagram, often posted just a day in advance or even the day of, making it difficult to plan, especially for those working regular business hours.

I know there’s a group ride planned this weekend, which is great, and I appreciate everyone organizing these efforts! We’re only four days into the removal, so perhaps more rides are already being planned and I’ve missed those discussions.

I’ve been around Bloor and Islington twice (Thursday and Friday), outside construction hours, and saw no cyclists. Perhaps I missed other rides, but with public attention so high right now, there’s an opportunity to maintain visibility beyond active construction hours.

I understand the importance of showing up during removal, and anyone can ride individually, but coordinated rides at different times could help more people participate.

A few questions:

1) Beyond this weekend’s ride, are more weekday evening (after 5 p.m.), Friday, and weekend rides being planned, ideally with flexible gathering times so people can join as their schedules allow?

2) Is anyone already working on a central calendar listing upcoming rides, meeting points, and a schedule for the week ahead, where possible?

3) Does anyone know the timeline for removing the Yonge and University bike lanes? I saw a post from Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria suggesting they’re next, but thought University wasn’t being removed. Has that changed?

Given how quickly the removal seems to be progressing, a central schedule with upcoming rides posted as early as possible and flexible gathering times could help maintain momentum and encourage wider participation.

If something like this already exists, please share it! If not, could we create one?

Make them legit. Make them big. Put them everywhere.

Feel free to repost this meme or use it for your protest sign

The pressure is clearly beginning to get to them, but we need to keep it up.

Every single day their crews are on site, it’s time to demand them they stop.

Just takes a couple minutes!

Putting this video out as a general callout for anyone who knows more about construction than I do. Any possible workplace safety violations we can report 👀

If they aren't looking out for our safety, at least we gotta look out for theirs! :)

For people at the destruction site, now that we're not allowed to sit in the bike lanes to physically block the work, the next best thing we can do is ride in a little loop on the road continuously to annoy drivers. Cops can't stop you from doing that.

Also thank you to all the people who can show up!! I'm in Scarborough but will try to make it for a bit when I can

Just copy/paste and send to the emails below. Only takes 2 minutes!

Alternatively, you can call Ford/Sarkaria’s number and say the same thing. Feel free to change the message.

Kudos to Robert Zaichkowski for the template

———

Ford #: 416-325-1941

Sarkaria: 905-796-8669

———

Emails:

jbell-qp@ndp.on.ca

agilmour-qp@ndp.on.ca

mstiles-qp@ndp.on.ca

mmcmahon.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org

mschreiner-co@ola.org

prabmeet.sarkaria@pc.ola.org

minister.mto@ontario.ca

doug.fordco@pc.ola.org

premier@ontario.ca

———

Subject: Stop wasting money removing bike lanes!

———

Dear MPP Jessica Bell,

I would like to thank you and your Ontario MPP caucus colleague Alexa Gilmour for attending Tuesday’s protest against the Bloor bike lane removals.

As a road safety advocate and a user of those bike lanes, it was heartening to see hundreds in attendance to resist the endangerment of vulnerable road users and the wasting of $48 million which could be used for matters truly within provincial jurisdiction, healthcare, education, and housing.

Having said that, I feel the rest of your caucus and those of the Ontario Liberals and Greens need to ramp up the pressure against the Ford government.

Earlier today, I was informed Paralympian Aly Van Wyck-Smart was arrested while resisting the bike lane removals.

How low does the Ford government have to be to resort to letting a Paralympian be arrested so they can get their way with the removals?

This is on top of two other arrests that made yesterday along with excessive police presence.

How many more people need to be arrested to make the Ford government reconsider their actions?

Furthermore, we know that at least two firms – ATS Traffic and Verdi Alliance Civil – have been associated with the removals.

Curious enough, five directors from Verdi donated over $12,000 to Doug Ford’s PC party in 2021 and 2022 which was revealed during the Ontario Greenbelt controversy. 

Yet another case of “following the money”. Worse still, there have been reports that contractors have been covering up their logos to avoid accountability; something which is illegal under Section 103(1) of the Highway Traffic Act.

This cover up is not only cowardly, but also futile given the City of Toronto’s road restriction map already revealed Verdi as the primary contractor responsible.

Mayor Olivia Chow and the City of Toronto came up with design compromises which would see the bike lanes stay while adding a lane of traffic.

Despite this win-win solution, the Ford government rejected it per a September 4 article in the Toronto Star.

While I know the Ontario NDP, Liberal, and Green caucus members don’t need convincing, I am urging Premier Doug Ford and Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria to IMMEDIATELY stop the bike lane removals and instead adopt Mayor Olivia Chow’s compromise.

I also call for the repeal of ALL bike lane provisions of Bills 212 and 60.

Bike lanes are a municipal matter and the only thing that is effective at fighting gridlock is to provide viable alternatives to driving which includes walking, cycling, and transit.

I thank you for considering the matter and feel free to contact me should you wish to discuss further.

Sincerely yours,

[your name]

If you can get out now, please do

Bike lane in front of Tom Riley is basically fully torn up

I think it’s time to shift tactics. While the protests on Bloor St are useful for drawing attention, why not bring the battle to where Bill 212 was approved?

Share your support for Car-Free High Park with the people running for mayor and council in Ward 4 Parkdale-High Park.

Scan the QR code or use the link below to send an email to the people who want your vote in this election.

Keeping High Park car-free benefits all of us and implementing the High Park Movement Strategy will make the park even better!

https://win.newmode.net/peopleinhighpark/welovecarfreehighpark

If you can’t make it, they made a toolkit on how you can take action from home.

And yes, it involves calling Verdi Alliance’s number ;)

Toolkit:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vQYYfDGI83sV3Vg6BmtWh4iX6aw5xNX7V2zsI6azg_Dd9LKSDGkIAqH8vx2FRCuaziUyk9AR21Q24FP/pub?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio

Just got this message from our friends at FFSS about their next action happening TOMORROW (noon to 4 PM) at Tom Riley Park.

--

Join us for a peaceful, loving protest action tomorrow!

Please bring:

Friends and family!

Materials (zip ties, tape…) to attach any heartfelt messaging (silk flowers, We Miss You balloons…) to bike posts along Bloor.

Instruments, banner making materials or treats to share.

Consider spending $ at local businesses, and feel free to sadly let them know that you may not be back with no safe and efficient way to get there.

It's interesting to hear the perspective of someone who lives in the UK about what's going on with our Bike Lanes. The battle of our bike lanes could have ripple effects for cycling infrastructure across the globe, and Conservative governments can use Doug Ford's approach as a blueprint to destroy cycling infrastructure in their own regions. This might be bigger than we realize and Toronto could be ground zero.

If we're ground zero, that's all the more reason for us to resist.