One newcomer’s honest review of cycling in Toronto

Moving to Toronto, I wasn’t expecting a cycling network on par with that of Amsterdam or Strasbourg.

But I’d hoped that Toronto’s cycling infrastructure would be closer to that of Montreal — one of the best cycling networks in North America — than to Florida’s, one of the worst.

In 2024 and 2025, eight cyclists died on the road — that’s more than the average number of fatalities between 2016 and 2023 — and 68 others were reported injured in the same period, according to Toronto Cycling Year in Review.

With stretches of unprotected bike lanes that push into oncoming traffic, suddenly get cut off or are just plain unusable, we might be working our way down the cyclability list.

Protected cycling lanes are great for cyclists as the barrier helps them stay away from cars and heavy-duty vehicles. Such lanes are also great for pedestrians — because cyclists won’t have to hop on sidewalks to avoid cars. Even better, protected lanes allow mobility scooter users to get around just fine, without interrupting the pavement, or being interrupted themselves.

Does it have to be like this, or is there any hope for commuters in the city? How can better cycling lanes help us be more connected as Torontonians? These are some of the questions I ask in this video. As our city continues to grow, I invite you to answer them with me.