Cyclists are expected to gather in Toronto’s High Park on Thursday in protest of what they claim is an unfair “enforcement blitz” against bikers within the park.
The issue has created tension between cyclists and the Toronto Police Service in recent weeks.
In a statement Thursday, Toronto police said the force has been “receiving complaints from the community about aggressive driving and unsafe cycling habits in and around High Park.”
“In response to these concerns and to help keep the community safe, officers have attended High Park,” police said.
The force said, though, that it is “not engaged in an enforcement blitz specifically targeting cyclists.”
According to Toronto police, between January 2021 and August 10, 2022, a total of 16 traffic tickets have been issued to cyclists, while 1,215 have been issued to motorists in and around the park.
“Tickets have been issued to cyclists for offences including failing to stop at stop signs and red lights, unsafe movement on lane or shoulder, and failing to wear a helmet on a motor assisted vehicle,” the statement read.
Toronto police said it is “aware” of the protest planned for Thursday in High Park, adding that officers “will be on-hand to keep the peace and ensure public safety.”
“We respect everyone’s right to protest peacefully,” police said.
On Wednesday, Toronto Mayor John Tory met with Cycle Toronto to discuss High Park.
In a statement emailed to Global News, Tory said he has “encouraged (Cycle Toronto) to meet with City staff undertaking the High Park movement strategy and with Toronto Police directly who are responsible for traffic enforcement.”
“In our discussion today, I made it clear that I am open to innovative solutions to help all park users better enjoy the park and respect each other,” Tory said. “We discussed specific ways in which the City can work with Cycle Toronto to help increase public education efforts in the short-term and in the longer-term as part of the High Park movement strategy.”
Tory said drivers “must obey the law on our roads” adding that the city has “worked non-stop to increase police enforcement and deploy automated speed enforcement cameras and ramp up other enforcement tools including red-light cameras.”
He aid the “vast majority” of traffic enforcement is on vehicle drivers.
Tory said he hoped Toronto police would “make public the extremely small number of tickets” issued to cyclists in High Park.
“I believe it will help put this entire conversation in context,” he said. “I support the work police are doing, exercising their own discretion in response to community complaints.”
In a statement Wednesday, Cycle Toronto said it provided a number of “interventions” which could be piloted in 2022 as part of the High Park Movement strategy which include:
- Reimagining the road space to create designated lanes for multiple forms of transportation travelling at different speeds
- Creating off peak times during car-free hours specifically for people on bikes to ride and train at speed
- Supporting the bicycle yield-as-stop law
- Using StreetSmartsTO to provide education
Executive director Keagan Gartz, thanked Tory for “taking swift action” to meet with the group and for “being receptive to our ideas that support everyone who uses High Park.”
“Our commitment to the Mayor’s office is to keep the dialogue open and use engineering and education to reimagine and improve our city’s shared spaces,” Gartz said. “We will continue to advocate in support of a safe and healthy cycling city for all and look forward to working further with the City of Toronto on these proposed initiatives.”