Over the past few years, the…

Over the past few years, the gradual introduction of bike infrastructure in my city has significantly improved mobility, allowing me and many others to make fewer trips by car. If cities are allowed to continue developing their cycling networks, more people can be encouraged to get out of their cars, reduce overall air pollution, and ease congestion for all road users (including drivers). Research consistently shows that when cities expand their cycling infrastructure, more people are encouraged to bike instead of drive. On the flip side, removing existing bike infrastructure may force me and others in the community to abandon cycling as a mode of transportation altogether. Due to the space inefficiency of the car, reverting cycling infrastructure to car lanes is unlikely to reduce congestion and may actually worsen it. Instead, the government should prioritize ways to encourage people to leave their cars at home. At the provincial level, this should be a continued or increased investment in public transportation.

Additionally, I believe that municipalities should have the autonomy to manage their own transportation systems. Local government leaders and urban planners are more familiar with the needs of their communities and so are better equipped to make decisions about bike infrastructure. Provincial intervention undermines the authority of those closest to the issue.

By investing in transportation alternatives to cars and allowing cities to continue developing their own bike networks, we can build more efficient transportation systems. I urge the Ontario government to rethink this legislation and prioritize the needs of all road users.