April 2025 Consultation Roundup

The month of April brought some good news for Toronto’s cycling community with Justice Paul Schabas having granted an injunction until he can decide on Cycle Toronto’s Charter challenge against the bike lane removal aspects of Bill 212. While that decision may not be made for another few months, there are several public consultations which we need to get involved with. Let’s round them up here! 😊

The Leaside-Danforth public consultation from March 2024

Trinity Bellwoods Park Access & Circulation Study

For the next twelve months, the City of Toronto will be consulting on Trinity Bellwoods Park. A process not unlike the High Park Movement Strategy which will ultimately see High Park become fully car-free by 2027. Having biked through that park on occasion, one thing that irritated me was the narrow path from Shaw and Dundas (northwest corner) to the circle path at the southern end of the park. When I measured the width on T.O.INview, the path was less than 3.0 metres which is below the minimum trail guidelines, though the popularity of this park deserves even wider trails or even separate walking and cycling paths.

While likely out of scope, another issue I have is with the lack of bike lanes on Shaw from Dundas to King Streets, as well as on Strachan from Queen to Adelaide Streets to complete the connection to the Douro-Wellington bikeway and the Martin Goodman Trail. For the latter, maybe there could be a possibility of converting that part of Strachan to one way to all for a contraflow bike lane to be installed? In any case, please submit your comments – and rank those provided by others – through the interactive map by Friday, May 2. That deadline also applies if you wish to join the community advisory committee.

RapidTO on Dufferin and Bathurst

With Toronto about to host six FIFA World Cup games next year (and over 300,000 visitors), the City of Toronto is planning to install RapidTO bus-bike lanes on Dufferin and Bathurst Streets like they did on Eglinton East back in 2020 to facilitate access to the games at BMO Field. Having used to take the Dufferin bus when my work was near Dufferin and Lawrence, they don’t call it the Sufferin’ for nothing! It’s the 5th busiest TTC surface corridor with over 40,000 trips daily and on-time performance as low as 55% during peak periods.

Design proposal for RapidTO on Dufferin Street - Via City of Toronto

The Dufferin proposal calls for curbside bus priority lanes – with bikes allowed – from Eglinton Avenue to King Street which may be built in stages with the portion south of Bloor being given highest priority. A couple of stops at Eversfield Road and Croatia Street will be removed while turns will be banned on Dufferin at St. Clair, Bloor, and Queen Streets. The Bathurst proposal also calls for similar curbside bus lanes from Eglinton Avenue to Bloor Street which cyclists can use, but south of Bloor will make the centre lanes streetcar priority except by the Toronto Western Hospital. At least south of Bloor, cyclists can use the Palmerston-Tecumseth bikeway which is 200 metres away.

Map of RapidTO proposal on Dufferin - Via City of Toronto

Virtual public meetings will be held 6:30 PM on Monday, May 12 for Bathurst and Tuesday, May 13 for Dufferin. For both projects, the survey deadline is Monday, May 26.

Map of RapidTO proposal on Bathurst - Via City of Toronto

Proposed Demonstrations Bylaw

The City of Toronto is collecting feedback until Thursday, May 1 on a proposed bylaw which could prohibit protests at “vulnerable institutions” such as schools and religious establishments. This was spurred in part by the numerous protests in response to the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, and the ongoing invasion of Gaza by the State of Israel which killed over 50,000 Palestinians so far. Regardless of where you stand on the Israel-Gaza conflict, the freedom of peaceful assembly is a Charter protected right, and we have an obligation to oppose this bylaw by all means necessary. Something Progress Toronto has launched a campaign on. It’s a matter which could also affect future ghost bike memorial rides and other group rides.

More Neighbourhood Streets Plans

Earlier this month, the Danforth-Kingston 4 All campaign sent a note to their supporters about the Scarborough Village Streets Plan which covers an area bound by Bellamy and Markham Roads, the CN Rail Line, and Hill Crescent. Another Neighbourhood Streets Plan (NSP) is also underway in the nearby Eglinton-Bendale South neighbourhood which is bound by Eglinton and Lawrence Avenues, as well as Danforth and Bellamy Roads.

The Phase 1 consultation period involving submitting comments via interactive maps closes on Wednesday, April 30 for both projects.

While technically not an NSP, the Lawrence Park Transportation Plan will see a virtual public meeting held on Thursday, May 1 at 7 PM which covers an area bound by Yonge Street, Lawrence Avenue, Bayview Avenue, and Sherwood Park. An earlier consultation held last year suggested some new sidewalks could be added while basement flooding issues would also be mitigated.