Bloor Street West Bike Lane Leads Way for National Active Transportation Strategy

A statement by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) arguing for a National Active Transportation Strategy, using the successful pilot of the Bloor Street West Bike Lane in Toronto as a case study for the health, safety, and environmental benefits of cycling infrastructure.

• The pilot project for the Bloor Street West Bike Lane, spanning from Shaw Street to Avenue Road, resulted in a 49% increase in cycling, rising from 3,300 to 5,220 cyclists per weekday, and a 61% reduction in vehicle/cyclist conflicts.
• Evaluation studies of the Bloor West Bike Lane indicated that driving times during peak periods increased by only 2 to 4 minutes, and there was an increase in customer spending among local businesses.
• Despite positive evaluation data, some Toronto councillors opposed the bike lane due to concerns regarding installation costs, the potential for slower vehicular traffic, and the loss of parking spaces.
• CAPE advocates for a National Active Transportation Strategy including targets, design criteria, and policies to address public health priorities, as chronic diseases cost Canada hundreds of billions of dollars annually in health care and lost-time costs.

APA

Perrotta, K. (2017). Bloor Street West Bike Lane Leads Way for National Active Transportation Strategy. Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. https://cape.ca/bloor-street-west-bike-lane-leads-way-for-national-active-transportation-strategy/

Chicago

Perrotta, Kim. Bloor Street West Bike Lane Leads Way for National Active Transportation Strategy. Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, 2017. https://cape.ca/bloor-street-west-bike-lane-leads-way-for-national-active-transportation-strategy/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Perrotta |first1=Kim |title=Bloor Street West Bike Lane Leads Way for National Active Transportation Strategy |publisher=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |date=23 October 2017 |url=https://cape.ca/bloor-street-west-bike-lane-leads-way-for-national-active-transportation-strategy/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{perrotta2017bloor, author = {Perrotta, Kim}, title = {{Bloor Street West Bike Lane Leads Way for National Active Transportation Strategy}}, publisher = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, year = {2017}, month = oct, url = {https://cape.ca/bloor-street-west-bike-lane-leads-way-for-national-active-transportation-strategy/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }