Exemptions from the…

Exemptions from the Environmental Assessment Act for Highway 413 should not be granted. The Assessments should not be rushed through as the new highway will be cutting through farmland, the Greenbelt and Nashville Conservation Area in Kleinberg. These areas are vital for wildlife and wild plants that are declining in population due to development. It is short sighted to disrupt these areas without proper understanding of the impacts. The Greenbelt absorbs rainwater preventing flooding, provides food for Ontario's people and provides habitat for wildlife. Without these vital resources and ecosystem services the province will be less equipped to deal with the coming changes in climate and the increases in population. We should be steering away from cars and highways and if transportation issues are arising investments should be made in public transit and making walk-able cities and towns.

There is no evidence that the removal of bike lanes will decrease traffic congestion. In the short term removing the Bloor, Yonge and University bike lanes will cost $48 million according to Toronto City Council and disrupt Toronto traffic for two years. That is an unacceptable cost and that money could be used to do something that actually benefits the people of Ontario. We should be building more bikes lanes not removing them. More safe cycling infrastructure will encourage more people to cycle around the city, this will reduce traffic congestion. This money and time should be put into finishing the transit projects around the city such as the overdue Eglinton Crosstown or investing in the TTC that is woefully underfunded. The solution to traffic congestion is not to remove bike lanes it is to get cars off the road with better public transit and cycling infrastructure. The less cars the better air quality and the lower the CO2 emissions. Cars are also prohibitively expensive and impracticable for many people living and working in Toronto. People like me who cycle everywhere are going to be put in danger if this act goes through.