This proposal is deeply…

This proposal is deeply disappointing and shows a troubling disregard for sustainable urban planning and climate responsibility. Prohibiting municipalities from reducing car lanes to make space for new bike infrastructure is a blatant step backward. It ignores overwhelming evidence that cities thrive (economically, environmentally, and socially) when they empower residents with safe, accessible alternatives to driving.

Claiming these changes “reduce gridlock” or “improve community safety” by privileging car traffic at the expense of cyclists is misleading; global data consistently show that more bike lanes make streets safer for everyone, ease congestion, and benefit local economies. Handing sweeping authority to a provincial minister to override local transportation design undermines the core principle of municipal autonomy, those who actually know their communities best.

To frame this as somehow helping the environment while doubling down on policies that encourage car dependency and pollution is almost Orwellian. If the goal is actually to improve health, community safety, and modernize transportation, governments should be investing in active transportation networks.

In short: This is not “building faster,” it’s building the wrong future.