I am a Toronto citizen, and…

I am a Toronto citizen, and I am strongly opposed to this proposal for the following reasons:

1. Bike lanes do not cause gridlock or traffic congestion. The attached article cites several studies that speak to this point.
2. Removing bike lanes along these well-travelled parts of the city will make it harder for people to commute via bike, potentially increasing the amount of people who will commute by car and increasing traffic.
3. There are people who will still commute and travel via bike on these major city streets. By removing these bike lanes, you are sending a message that you do not care for these cyclists safety or well-being. It is not hard to imagine that more cyclists will be injured and/or killed as a result of this bill should it pass.
4. Toronto City council opposes this plan with a strong majority. The city doesn't want this, and the province should not interfere.
5. This is an extremely expensive project. Spending tax dollars on something citizens and the municipal government do not want is a gross misuse of public funds.
6. The provincial government should not have veto power over the bike lanes that municipalities want to build. Government officials serve their constituents, and should not be prevented from increasing access to safe cycling infrastructure if that's what a municipality's citizens desire.

It is an embarrassment that the Premier has proposed such a bill, and is using the government's time and resources on a motion that clearly does not have the well-being of Ontario citizens in mind.