I am writing as a daily…

I am writing as a daily bicycle commuter in Toronto and as a parent of three children who I hope will one day independently and safely navigate our city’s streets. I wish to express my strong concern with the proposed amendments in Bill 60 (ERO #025-1071), which would prohibit municipalities from reducing vehicle traffic lanes when installing new bicycle lanes.

Safety & independent mobility for children

For my kids, the ability to cycle safely is not simply a convenience—it is foundational to building independence, confidence, and healthy mobility habits. Evidence consistently shows that dedicated and separated cycling infrastructure dramatically improves comfort and safety. A City of Toronto survey found that residents were twice as likely to report feeling comfortable riding on major roads with bike lanes or cycle tracks (31%) compared to roads without them (15%).

Further, research by the Ryerson/TMU City Building Institute found that fully separated cycle tracks along the Bloor–Danforth corridor could reduce injury burden by up to 89% compared to having no protected infrastructure.

By removing municipalities’ ability to reallocate space—including reducing vehicle lanes when necessary—Bill 60 would jeopardize the infrastructure that protects cyclists and encourages active transportation for children and families.

Traffic reduction & congestion claims

The justification for prohibiting lane reductions is framed around “keeping people and goods moving” and reducing gridlock. However, the evidence does not support the idea that removing bike lanes—or blocking municipalities from adjusting road space—will meaningfully reduce congestion.

In fact, analysis of Toronto’s transportation patterns shows that safe cycling routes are one of the few tools that reliably shift people out of cars, thereby easing pressure on the road network. Removing or restricting bike infrastructure does not free up traffic capacity; if anything, it risks increasing congestion by reducing alternatives to driving.

Undermining municipal autonomy

Bill 60 also raises serious governance concerns. By preventing municipalities from managing their own street space, the province is overriding local expertise and local democratic decision-making. Cities understand their neighbourhoods far better than Queen’s Park: which routes children use to get to school, where collisions happen, and where protected bike lanes are most urgently needed.

If municipalities cannot tailor their own transportation infrastructure, it raises a broader question: what meaningful authority does local government have left? And conversely, what is the purpose of the provincial layer if it becomes a barrier to evidence-based, community-aligned policy? Bill 60 inadvertently invites these constitutional questions by centralizing power inappropriately and limiting municipalities’ ability to respond to real on-the-ground needs.

In summary:

As a commuter cyclist and parent, I am deeply concerned that Bill 60 will make our streets less safe for children and families.

The traffic-flow justification is weak and contradicted by credible evidence.

The bill significantly undermines municipal autonomy and raises broader concerns about our governance structure.

I respectfully ask that you reconsider the lane-reduction prohibition in Bill 60 and restore municipalities’ ability to allocate road space thoughtfully to support safe cycling, walking, and transit—not just faster car movement.

I hope you will take these concerns seriously and prioritize the safety and mobility of all road users, especially children.