Comment on Bill 60, Fighting…

Comment on Bill 60, Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act

I am strongly opposed to the transportation amendments in Bill 60. This legislation removes the ability of cities and communities to make evidence based decisions about their own streets, and it hands over broad new powers that will undermine safety, mobility, and long term planning across Ontario.

Bill 60 allows the Province to ban any reduction of motor vehicle lanes. The language is so broad that it threatens not only new bike lanes but also bus priority lanes, safe school streets, patios, improved crossings, curbside access, and many other community uses that depend on reallocating road space. This directly undermines local authority and prevents cities from shaping their streets based on the needs of their residents.

Leading global urbanism research is clear on this issue. Cities become safer and more efficient when transportation networks are balanced, not when they are dominated by a single mode. The world’s most successful cities, from Copenhagen and Amsterdam to Paris and Seoul, have all reduced car lanes and expanded space for transit, cycling, and walking. These decisions were driven by decades of scientific evidence showing that protected bike lanes, complete streets, and transit priority reduce congestion, improve safety, support local business, and strengthen overall economic productivity.

International traffic engineering and public health experts have repeatedly demonstrated that expanding car lanes does not solve gridlock. Instead, it induces more driving and worsens congestion. The Province’s own experts have already confirmed that bike lanes are not the cause of gridlock in Ontario. Removing or blocking them will not save time for drivers. It will simply make roads more dangerous and cities less functional.

Bill 60 also threatens progress on climate targets, public health, and affordability. By preventing proven street improvements, it locks communities into a car dependent model that global research has shown to be costly, unsafe, and unsustainable. Transit priority lanes, protected cycling routes, and pedestrian friendly streets are essential tools used around the world to reduce emissions, support economic growth, and improve quality of life.

I use active transportation in Toronto, and I see every day how safe infrastructure allows people to move through the city with confidence. This is not a debate between being “pro bike” or “pro car”. It is about following evidence, global best practices, and scientific consensus on how to build healthy, safe, and effective cities. Toronto cannot fall behind while major world cities move forward with modern, data driven urban planning.

For these reasons, I urge the Province to withdraw the transportation provisions in Bill 60 and to respect municipal authority, international evidence, and the safety and well being of everyone who uses Ontario’s streets.

Thank you for considering this submission.