Riding Through Barriers: How My E-Bike Transformed Toronto for Me
By Oda Al-anizi
I’ve lived in Toronto for a long time and have used a wheelchair for over two decades. I always depended on public transit (subway, streetcar, wheel transit) because driving is a difficult and expensive endeavour. So, When I got my e-bike attachment for my wheelchair, it opened up this city to me in a way I’d never experienced before.
This year, I got almost 3000KM on my odometer. I was able to:
- Hang out randomly at High Park by biking on Bloor St W. Then, if I wanted, I’d take a high park down to MTG, ride to Union, and take the subway home. Or I could loop around to the distillery district, up the Bayview extension, and go back to Bloor station. This would be unimaginable in my wheelchair alone!
- Take the Martin Goodman Trail to Cirque De Soleil, BMO Field, The Ex, Budweiser Stage
- I even took up sailing because biking down to the National Yacht Club on the MTG trail was easy.
- Explore so many trails! Finch Hydro Corridor, Humber Valley, Bayview, Brickworks, Tommy Thomson Park, Cherry Beach
- Strengthen my social circle because hanging out with people to do things or at their homes was easy.
As a wheelchair user, transit is just not cutting it anymore. Subways are terrible during rush hour, and more e-bike delivery people are taking up all the accessible seating. Elevators are often down. WheelTrans could be better and leaves a lot to be desired. So, as a city resident, what am I supposed to do? Why am I made to feel like I’m lesser than or dispensable? I didn’t realize it, but I was giving up many opportunities (professional, personal, social) just because I didn’t want to deal with GETTING THERE and back. But with my bike, I could close that gap, take a subway to a nearby bike lane, or bike the whole way if I wanted to.
The removal of these bike lanes is about SO MUCH—including accessibility and allowing all city residents to get around with multiple accessible options, regardless of their ability level
