Protesters, counter-protesters face off outside Toronto city hall over bike lanes, proposed shelters

Protesters and counter-protesters demonstrated outside Toronto's city hall on Tuesday over a host of recent decisions by the city, including on proposed shelter locations, bike lanes and methadone clinics.

The Downtown Concerned Citizens Organization, in conjunction with Protect Bathurst, IntegrityTO, and several other community organizations, protested against a slew of recent moves by the city, including proposed shelters in the areas of 629 Adelaide St., 2535 Gerrard St. and 66 Third St.

They also criticized Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow's government, saying city hall is being mismanaged. 

Paul Macchuisi spoke on behalf of Protect Bathurst, a community group opposed to RapidTO — a plan to add bus-only lanes in some areas in the city. He said there was a lack of consultation with the community on the city's plan. 

"Five hundred thirty-one people attended the four sessions to make considerable changes to the Bathurst Street plan. That makes up only 0.11 per cent of the population and the affected wards. Do you mean to tell me that this is satisfactory city planning?" he said.

Counter-protesters also gathered outside city hall, holding signs and speaking into a megaphone in support of bike lanes, bus lanes and shelters amid the protest groups' speeches. Marina Classen, a community organizer with a focus on harm reduction, said their purpose was to represent the most vulnerable. 

"We were seeing a narrative being created among this coalition that talks about the voices of purely the one per cent. There's a focus on homeowners, there's a focus on businesses, there's a focus on people that have a lot of privilege," said Classen.

Ontario's government has largely had the backs of the main protester group, passing laws that shut down safe consumption sites, give police the authority to clear out encampments, and rip up bike lanes.

Planned shelters, bike lanes subject of plenty of debate

Nine of the province's supervised consumption sites closed down in March, despite a court injunction that allowed them to remain open temporarily. Since then, Toronto's remaining sites have seen an uptick in visits. 

Under Chow's leadership, the city has been working to open 20 new permanent shelters with 1,600 spaces by 2033. The city's general manager of shelter and support services says the city is still identifying locations, but some councillors and ratepayers have spoken out about the lack of transparency.

Similarly, bike lanes have been a hot-button issue. The province has publicly said it needs to remove some bike lanes in Toronto to clear up gridlock. But, according to the city, projects with contracts awarded before the new rules kicked in can continue without restrictions, such as a bikeway on The Esplanade. 

Speakers at the protest against the city included Conservative Toronto MP Roman Baber, former mayoral candidate Anthony Furey and several local advocates. Coun. Brad Bradford was expected to attend, but didn't.

Classen said the group is using their influence to amplify its voice. 

"There is a majority of them that have a deep amount of privilege and connection to media, connection to political connections that allows them to amplify their voice, even though they are a small group. And the reality is that we need to show up and show that they do not represent our thoughts and our beliefs," she said.

'Democracy in action'

Daniel Tate, the Executive Director at IntegrityTO, was one of the speakers at the main protest. He told CBC News that he welcomed counter-protesters, but described it as a "poor form" move. 

"It's democracy in action. I do think it's poor form to have a megaphone blasting in someone's ear when you're trying to say something, even if you don't agree with what that person is saying," said Tate. 

He said most of the counter-protesters do not understand the nuances of the issues. 

"They're labelling everybody here as anti-this, anti-that ... It's not such a binary. It's not such a black and white. There are nuances," he said. 

Furey said he wants to see more accountability from the city. 

"Unfortunately, in the past two years, the city is moving in the wrong direction on a number of key fronts, and I think what we're looking for right now is a call for accountability," said Furey. 

"Accountability of why so many homeless shelters, so many facilities that are supposed to be for compassion, have become community drug dens."

Chow told reporters at a key to the city ceremony in St. Lawrence Market on Tuesday that she is willing to work and listen to all sides. 

"We have to work together, listen to each other, no matter what political strife one has, I'm always open to different ideas," said Chow.