The proposal for Bill 212…

The proposal for Bill 212 demonstrates a continuing and increasing practice of government overreach by the current Ontario provincial administration into the affairs of these so-called "prescribed municipalities". As a resident, motorist, and cyclist in the GTA, I find that the proposal to limit the addition of, and more shockingly, the potential removal of bike lanes is, at best, short-sighted and inconsiderate of a very significant portion of the constituency. At it's worst, it shows preferential treatment and favoritism of those with power and personal ties within the Ontario government, and an extremely concerning move given other controversial major government-led projects in progress or recently announced (ie. the questionable arrangement between Ontario Place and Thermea Spa, as well as the sudden closure of the Ontario Science Centre). Bike lanes and other infrastructural support of multi-modal transportation has been demonstrated to ease congestion through densification of passenger throughput (ie. 1 vehicle with a single passenger on average takes the same amount of room as 4 riders on bicycles / scooters), as well as give people alternatives to driving that would otherwise be too unsafe to be considered. As an additional note, removal of bike lanes will not remove the cyclists; that is to say, all that will be achieved by removing bike lanes is placing cyclists that depend on that route to get around in increased danger while also slowing down an active lane of vehicle traffic while cyclists take the lane (as is their legal right). Many of the municipalities that would presumably be part of the "prescribed" list have active cooperation between public works and the cycling community. By taking over the decision-making autonomy of these municipalities in how it facilitates moving residents through and around is to step on all other municipal autonomy that we still hold, and that is not acceptable on any level.