I strongly oppose Bill 212…

I strongly oppose Bill 212 and urge the province to withdraw the proposed amendments, which prioritize motor vehicle traffic over public safety, increase costs for taxpayers, undermine local decision-making, and threaten environmental protection.

1. Cyclist Safety Concerns

Bill 212 fails to address the critical issue of cyclist safety. The bill prioritizes the “orderly movement of motor vehicle traffic” while completely omitting considerations for safety and health. This oversight is alarming given the evidence that protected bike lanes save lives, reduce collisions, and improve road safety for all users. Respected organizations—including 120 physicians and researchers—have warned that removing bike lanes will have serious public health consequences.

The claim that only 1.2% of Torontonians bike to work is misleading; the province’s own confidential data shows that nearly 10% of trips ending in downtown Toronto are made by bike or other micromobility vehicles. Bike lanes on Bloor, University, and Yonge are essential to the city’s transportation network, with no feasible parallel routes that wouldn’t also require the removal of motor vehicle lanes. Removing these lanes would not only endanger cyclists but also worsen congestion, making roads less safe for everyone.

2. Impacts to Local Businesses

Bill 212 would significantly harm local businesses by reducing access for people traveling by bike. Businesses along major corridors like Yonge and Bloor West rely on bike infrastructure to bring in customers.

According to researchers at the University of Toronto, businesses on Yonge Street would lose, on average, half of their potential customers arriving by bike. Businesses on Bloor West would lose, on average, 56% of their potential bike customers.

Moreover, the bill would limit access for over 600,000 people in Toronto who currently use bikes to reach jobs, schools, healthcare, stores, and entertainment. The average person affected would lose access to 84,000 jobs and destinations, devastating the economic vitality of local communities. Reducing bike access would harm not only small businesses but also the broader economy by restricting consumer and employee mobility.

3. Added Costs and Undermining Local Decision-Making

Bill 212 imposes unnecessary costs and red tape on municipalities while stripping them of their authority to make decisions about local infrastructure. By centralizing control, the bill undermines municipal democracy and ignores the expertise of city planners and engineers, not to mention the decisions of democratically elected local representatives.

This is deeply ironic given the province’s Ministry of Red Tape Reduction, which ostensibly seeks to reduce administrative burdens.

The financial impact of removing bike lanes on Bloor, University, and Yonge alone is estimated at $75 million (including sunk costs)—an enormous and unjustified cost to provincial taxpayers. Rather than forcing cities to tear up critical infrastructure, the province should be working collaboratively with municipalities to address congestion and improve road safety.

4. Highway 413 and Greenbelt Impacts

Bill 212 also includes provisions to fast-track Highway 413 and weaken protections for the Greenbelt, threatening environmental sustainability and farmland preservation. Highway 413 would destroy critical habitats, increase urban sprawl, and pave over valuable agricultural land, undermining Ontario’s commitments to combat climate change and protect natural resources.

Investing in highways over sustainable transportation options, such as public transit and active transportation infrastructure, moves Ontario further away from achieving its environmental goals. This short-sighted approach not only harms the Greenbelt but also jeopardizes long-term economic and ecological resilience.

Conclusion

Instead of imposing costly, unsafe, and environmentally harmful measures, the province should collaborate with municipalities to develop sustainable solutions that improve congestion, protect natural heritage systems, and enhance road safety for all users. Bill 212 is a step backward and does not reflect the priorities of Ontarians or the evidence on effective urban transportation and land use planning.