This bill undermines local…

This bill undermines local democracy and will put lives at risk. Bike lanes are an essential part of transportation routes in safe, clean neighbourhoods, which reduce congestion, not add to it.

Municipalities should have the ability to improve transportation routes in ways that make sense for their communities, in consultation with the people who live in them. Giving this power to the provincial government is government overreach and adds more red tape to city improvement initiatives. It undermines democracy in our communities.

Bike lanes are essential to keeping cyclists safe on the road. Many cyclists are children, families, and young people. Their lives are put at risk without bike lanes. Prioritizing cars at the expense of the safety of cyclists is wrong. My 29-year-old brother died while cycling to work—a bike lane would have saved his life.

Cycling improves people’s health, and gets people out of cars, reducing pollution and gridlock. This government should be finding ways to get more people out of their cars and on to public transit, walking, and cycling instead of focusing on cars. The climate crisis is real. Once you realize that and start acting accordingly, you’ll have a chance to be on the right side of history. If you don’t, there may not be any more history.

This bill is wrongheaded and will cost people’s lives in the short and long terms.