Highway 413 should not be…

Highway 413 should not be built. Building more highways induces single occupancy vehicle demand.
That is uneconomical, unequitable, unhealthy, and does not build an Ontario that is good for most Ontarians. It will create more congestion in the cities where all these new single occupancy vehicles are heading. It is a major environmental concern because of the prime farmland and water recharge area. Please make the good decision: take environmental health - the long term livability and health - into Transit is the way to move people and goods faster, reliably, and economically. When you look at places around the world with cities and interregional travel that is effective it is always transit (not single occupancy vehicles).

Municipalities should have the authority to determine if a vehicle lane should be removed in order to put in cycling infrastructure. There are many reasons for this:
- Undermines municipal authority
- Costs of removing infrastructure and cost to go into ongoing road maintenance
- Liability: is the province liable for injury from loss of bicycle lane
- Arbitrary
- Red tape
- Community consultation happened before implementation of the lanes
- Provincial overreach
- Throws a fork in local bike flow/maps/trails
- Delay emergency vehicles – they can drive over flex bollards of cycle paths
- Encouraging driving
- Will not reduce commute times or congestion
- Not based on data
- Data to support legislation is not current
- Ignores safety of bike lanes
- Discourages children from walking and cycling – which is also a health issue
- Removes decision-making from local data and consultation
- Unsupported by local BIA’s (business improvement areas) as cycling increases business
- Cycling infrastructure creates public realm, increases safety
- Cycling/walking reduces emissions
- Will create enormous red tape at ministry of transportation
- Who is going to pay to remove lanes
- Increase cost for taxpayers
- Increased medical costs for collisions
- Greenhouse gas emissions
- Encourages transit use in combination with scooter & e-bike rental
- Turn traffic lanes to bus only lanes (then turn that into bike lanes later)
- Why are we going backwards!!!
- Wrecking connectivity
- Local decisions should be local – jurisdictional overreach
- Cycling infrastructure has been proven to increase safety for all road users
- Car centric infrastructure is human rights encumbrance
- Forcing everyone to buy a car
- Cycling infrastructure is more fiscally conservative
- Cycling infrastructure increase property values
- Adding more vehicle lanes decrease property values
- Adding vehicle lanes makes congestion worse
- Cycling is a preferable form of transport for many, and more people cycling means fewer cars on the road, which benefits drivers
- Increasing density in car-centric ways is not optimally sustainable
- Priority should be on developing active transportation infrastructure to move more people
- Removing established active transportation infrastructure is fiscally reckless
- Re-installing vehicle lanes will not alleviate congestion, and will likely make congestion worse
- Bicycle lanes increase safety
- Insulting to the active transportation professionals and public consultations
- Cycling reduces congestion; studies prove it
- More cars -> more roads -> more maintenance -> costs more $$$
- Reduction in meeting emission targets
- More active transportation makes healthier community
- Lowers healthcare costs
- Shift from cars to active transportation supported by bicycle lanes

I do not support any of Bill 212 - Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, 2024 – Building Highways Faster Act , 2024.

Region of Waterloo passed all-in-favour a motion today in their council also in opposition:
Whereas the Government of Ontario has announced legislation
requiring provincial approval for new cycling lanes that would remove vehicular traffic lanes;
And whereas this legislation would compel municipalities to demonstrate
that proposed cycling lanes will not negatively impact vehicle traffic;
And whereas cycling infrastructure is crucial for urban transportation
planning, road safety, and public health, and provincial oversight in this
matter represents an unwarranted intrusion into municipal authority;
And whereas the Region of Waterloo has developed a comprehensive
active transportation plan to enhance walking and cycling facilities;
And whereas the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) has
strongly criticized this proposed legislation as a "significant overreach"
into municipal jurisdiction;And whereas the AMO has stated that none of its 444 member
municipalities were consulted or shown evidence justifying the
province's proposed veto power over new bike lanes;
Therefore, be it resolved:
1. That the Regional Municipality of Waterloo strongly opposes
the proposed provincial legislation governing bicycle lanes and
affirms its support for maintaining municipal jurisdiction over
cycling infrastructure decisions.
2. That the Region of Waterloo endorses the AMO's position that
municipalities are better positioned than the Ministry of
Transportation to make decisions about local transportation
matters based on local knowledge and community input.
3. That the Region of Waterloo calls on the Government of
Ontario to withdraw the proposed legislation and respect the
established authority of municipalities to make informed
decisions about local transportation needs, including the
implementation of cycling lanes.
4. That the Region of Waterloo reaffirms its commitment to its
active transportation plan and the continued development of
safe, efficient cycling infrastructure for the benefit of all
residents.
5. That the Regional Clerk be directed to forward a copy of this
resolution to the Premier of Ontario, the Minister of
Transportation, all Members of Provincial Parliament
representing constituencies within the Region of Waterloo.
6. That the Region of Waterloo calls upon other municipalities
across Ontario to adopt similar resolutions in defense of local
decision-making authority and sustainable transportation
planning

Thank you for accepting my comments. I hope and pray this legislation is completely pulled.