But, wouldn’t the boycott reinforce their argument, that the bike lane reduced business?
Argument being correct doesn't mean that argument is relevant. Not like the city should only care about the increase of these 40 businesses.
The Kingsway section of bloor is badly designed, and got worse when they added the bike lanes. That street is like 100ft wide and they only managed to fit in a single lane of traffic either direction.
It's unfortunate that Doug Ford has whipped that up into a broader wedge issue, but I think the best way to counter that is with reasonableness, not with polarizing anger.
Yes get angry and protest the over broad law, but don't go after the Kingsway businesses that seem to be in pretty universal agreement about their stretch of street.