My comment is focused on the…

My comment is focused on the proposed Bike Lane Framework.

As a citizen of Ontario and a resident of Toronto for 10 years now, I am deeply concerned about the prospect of bike lanes in the city being removed. I beg the province reconsider this proposal; passing it in its current form would put lives at risk, including my own, and make this province a worse place in which to live.

Provincial overreach and increased red tape
Passage of this bill would increase red tape for municipalities across the province, making it more difficult to build critically needed infrastructure and improve cities. Decisions around transportation and city planning should be left to municipalities.

Waste of taxpayer dollars and harm to small businesses
Removal of critical infrastructure such as the Bloor, Yonge and University bike lanes in Toronto would be a massive waste of taxpayer dollars at the hands of the province. Local businesses have seen an increase in sales/customers since the installation of the bike lanes, and multiple BIAs have come out in opposition to this proposal.

Cyclist and pedestrian safety
Removal of these critical bike lanes would put lives at risk, full stop. I cycle to work daily and fear for my life even with bike lanes. A young woman my age, Alex Amaro, was killed by a driver on Dufferin Street in 2020. Her life could have been saved had there been a bike lane, and every day I fear that tomorrow this could be me. Countless studies show that narrower streets with fewer lanes of traffic and reduced speed limits are safer not only for cyclists, but for pedestrians and drivers as well. Human lives should always come first, full stop. Even if bike lanes did cause congestion (which they don't!), the safety of a city's residents is far more important than saving a few minutes in a commute. There's no comparison.

Policy founded in fact
The statistics that the province has cited around Bill 212 have been erroneous and shared without context. Yes, congestion has increased in big cities in the province, but that has kept up with the pace of population growth, not the installation of bike lanes. Bike lanes globally have been found to increase the number of cyclists, decreasing the number of motorists on the roads and decreasing congestion, or in the worst cases, not resulting in any change. Please listen to the advice of experts, including the Ontario Professional Planners Institute, on these issues. The removal of bike lanes will not help with congestion.

Environmental impact
Ontario is also facing a climate crisis, and the province should be doing all in its power to fight against global warming and reduce emissions. The switch from motor vehicles to more sustainable forms of transit, including cycling, is key to solving the climate crisis. The province needs to encourage more cycling in order to protect our environment for generations to come, and removal of bike lanes is in direct contradiction to this.

Passage of Bill 212 would be disastrous for the health and safety of the people of Ontario. This government must respect the lives of its constituents.