As a resident of Toronto, I…

As a resident of Toronto, I am deeply concerned about the ramifications of this bill and I urge this government to reject it.

1. This bill kills:

Traffic congestion in Toronto is a very frustrating issue that needs urgent attention. However, in a climate where cyclist deaths are up 500% from last year (see link 1), a conversation about removing vital infrastructure safeguards in favour of shaving a few minutes off of motorists' commute is absolutely absurd.

We all deserve to move around this city without fearing for our lives and there are ways we can reduce traffic without forcing already vulnerable commuters into dangerous and life-threatening/altering situations. Moreover, there is an abundance of literature and data indicating that people drive faster resulting in more fatal accidents where there are more and wider streets and lanes, and without bike lanes (see link 2).

Please shut down this bill and protect the lives of Canadians.

2. This bill is ineffective:

Toronto has reached a point of critical mass with vehicles. If the solution to traffic congestion is building more lanes and highways, we simply have no more space.

After we've removed the bikes lanes will we also take out street cars and busses so that drivers have more space? We all understand how ludacris that sounds; how ignorant can Mr.Doug Ford be to not understand the same is true for bikes. Investments in infrastructure that promote modes of transit besides driving reduces congestion.

The October 31st update states that the bill would require the province to remove sections of the Bloor Street, Yonge Street, and University Avenue bike lanes. These are critical connections to a broader cycling network. Cyclists need to get to the same destinations as drivers so these people may then choose to drive, making traffic worse. The space of 1 vehicle can trasnport 4-6 cyclists.

Induced demand: if you build it they will come. If we build more lanes for traffic, more people will choose to drive and if we build a robust network of protected bike lanes, more people will cycle. There are numerous studies from all over the world that clearly indicate this, but we do not even need to search that far. In 2011, a bike lane was removed on Jarvis Street to allow more space for cars and congestion got worse in the years that followed, (see link 3).

This bill will actually have the opposite affect of it's intended purpose - please shut it down.

3. This bill is unfair government overeach:

Although I appreciate the sentiment of a push to unilaterally address gridlock as a whole in this province, I believe this to be unfair to the unique needs of municipalities. The transit issues of Hamilton are different than Toronto, and Toronto different than Barrie. Municipalities should not be be restricted, but empowered to make transit choices that best fit their communities.

I am proud of the equitable, inclusive, data-driven and community oriented approach Toronto has taken for its decisions of the cycling network, (see link 4). This is a comprehensive plan that is based in science and commentary from residents. Mr. Doug Ford's comments about how bike lanes should be on side streets shows how little he understands this plan. There is no efficient side street route that will move cyclists East to West - Urban planners have already determined that Bloor St is the most efficient route and the community has been advocating for this for decades, (see link 5).

Let Toronto make the transit choices that are best for Torontonians.

4. This bill is needlessly divisive:

There is absolutely no need of rhetoric coming from our politicians that pits drivers against cyclists. It is very common in Toronto that people who drive also bike, walk or take public transit depending on where they're going or what they're doing, and infact, this is exactly the kind of transit behaviour our municipalities need and our leaders should be encouraging. Mr. Doug Ford speaks about this issue with language such as "a war on cars" as if our government has some sort of allegiance to vehicles. Perhaps he does personally, but the job of government is to efficiently move and protect people, regardless of how they choose to travel. I am very disheartended to see leadership that not only promotes one mode of transport above others, but encourages divisive social behaviour, making one group out to be the problem that is making others lives worse.

Canadians deserve better.