Please note that this website compiles legal information from publicly available online sources for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice.
Get involved
Volunteer
- Join the email listUpdates and calls to action from the organizers. Please share it widely.Sign up
- Scouting scheduleSign up for a shift watching the bike lanes (Google Sheet)Schedule
- Email the organizersBikeLanesSaveLives@protonmail.com. Response times vary.Email
Stay updated
- @thebikinglawyerRapid updates on InstagramInstagram
- @cycletorontoRapid updates on InstagramInstagram
- r/TorontoBikingCommunity discussion on RedditReddit
On-site chat
- Telegram groupCommunity-run chat for people at the sitesTelegram
Not fully secure. Anyone with the link can join and read along, and Telegram groups aren't end-to-end encrypted. Treat it as public. Don't post your full name, address, or photos of people's faces.
Know your rights
General information for Ontario. This is not legal advice.
Before you go
- Write the Movement Defence Committee number (416-833-6137) on your arm in permanent marker.
- Lock your phone with a passcode and turn off face and fingerprint unlock. Turn on cloud backup so footage survives if your phone is seized.
- Go with a buddy, set a check-in time, and bring water and any medication you need.
- If you cycle there: the Highway Traffic Act requires you to give your correct name and address if police stop you for a traffic offence.
At the site
- The Charter (s. 2) protects peaceful assembly on public sidewalks and in public spaces, within limits.
- Stay outside fenced or coned work zones. Blocking vehicles or touching equipment can lead to charges like mischief or obstructing police.
- If a court injunction covers the site, breaking it is contempt of court. Ask organizers whether one exists.
- You can film police and public activity, as long as you don't interfere.
- Leave the crews alone. They don't set the policy. Don't post close-ups of workers' faces.
If police stop or question you
- Ask "Am I being detained?" If not, ask "Am I free to go?" and calmly leave.
- If you're detained, you have the right to know why (Charter s. 10(a)) and to speak to a lawyer without delay (s. 10(b)).
- You have the right to remain silent. Usually you don't have to give your name, but if you're being ticketed, refusing can lead to arrest. Never give a false name.
- Say "I do not consent to a search." If they search anyway, don't resist.
If you're arrested
- Don't resist, run or argue, even if the arrest seems unfair. Resisting is a separate charge. Fight it later in court.
- Say "I'm going to remain silent. I want to speak to a lawyer." Then stay silent.
- Ask to call a lawyer: the Movement Defence Committee, your own lawyer, or duty counsel (free). The call is private.
- Don't discuss your case with police, other detainees or on jail phones.
- Don't unlock your phone or share passwords.
- Don't sign anything you don't understand. Read any release conditions carefully, because breaking one is a criminal offence. Ask a lawyer first.
After release, or if you witness an arrest
- Write everything down right away: times, names, badge numbers and witnesses.
- Photograph any injuries and get medical care.
- If you witness an arrest, film from a distance and call out "What's your name? Who should we call?" Don't interfere physically.
- Complaints about police conduct go to LECA, usually within 6 months.
About the removals
- Nov 2024
Ontario passes Bill 212 (the Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act). It orders the bike lanes on Bloor St, Yonge St and University Ave removed and replaced with car lanes, and requires provincial approval for new bike lanes that take away a car lane.
- Jul 2025
Ruling on a challenge by Cycle Toronto and cyclists, represented by Ecojustice, the Ontario Superior Court finds the removals violate the Charter.
- Aug 2026
The Ontario Court of Appeal overturns that ruling, clearing the way for removal.
- Oct 13, 2026
Removal starts on Bloor St W in Etobicoke. Hundreds of people form a human chain, and the trucks leave without removing the lane.
- Next
The province says the lanes are coming out, about 19 km across the three streets. Cycle Toronto is seeking leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada. Reports say larger removals may wait until spring 2027.
Updated Oct 14, 2026. Sources: Canadian Cycling Magazine, National Observer, Globe and Mail, Daily Commercial News.
- Cycle TorontoLeading the legal fight and campaigncycleto.ca
- EcojusticeLawyers on the Charter challengeecojustice.ca
- Bells on BloorBloor St cycling advocatesbellsonbloor.ca
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Trusted sources
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Volunteer-run. Reports may be incomplete or out of date. Map, cameras and bike network: City of Toronto Open Data, Open Government Licence – Toronto. Nothing here is legal advice.