This omnibus bill is…

This omnibus bill is extremely disappointing and is actively harmful to residents of Ontario.

The changes to the Highway Traffic Act that require municipalities to seek Provincial approval before the creation of new bike lanes where the design would reduce the number of marked lanes for motor vehicle is an overreach of the provincial government and will add layers of bureaucracy to the management of local streets. For a government that seeks to 'remove red tape' and 'speed up development', this is adding a lot of red tape and undue government intervention. This is not respecting local democracies and is not respecting municipalities' ability to plan for their communities.

Further, requiring the removal of bike lanes along Bloor Street Yonge Street, and University Street in Toronto is ridiculous - a waste of resources (potentially $48 million), will create worse traffic (through construction and induced demand of vehicles), and increase danger to all road users, especially the most vulnerable. Removing bike lanes and preventing future ones from being built is increasing the likelihood that cyclists will be severely harmed, and is reducing a healthy, climate-supportive commuting choice. It is targeting Toronto and is unnecessary.

While the bike lane changes have received the most spotlight - a tactical decision - there is even more harm in the proposed Highway 413 Act. To exempt any of the works and/or planning of the Hwy 413 from an Environmental Assessment and to exempt Hwy 413 from the Environmental Bill of Rights (1993) is deplorable. To suggest that an Environmental Impact Assessment, the contents of which the very same provincial government will determine, is an acceptable alternative is disappointing and misleading by design. The Bill outlines how the EIA will be used and outlines that the provincial government does not have to address any concerns raised - merely try to mitigate identified negative impacts, and 'consider' comments from Indigenous communities and the public at large. There is nothing preventing the provincial government from pushing forward on developing the Highway 413 despite any environmental consequences.

Further, the Bill highlights that the Minister shall publish the studies and updates of studies described in the draft EIA "except where in the opinion of the minister the studies or updates of studies contain information about sensitive natural or cultural heritage matters". This is extremely broad and should be removed and/or altered to reduce the scope - otherwise this is likely to be used by the province to hide behind should there be any request from the public to view said reports.

The contents of this omnibus bill are far reaching and damaging and need to be significantly revised. Listen to the public - we do not want this. We want bike lanes, we do not want Highway 413, we do not want our rights reduced.