As a Torontonian, I PROUDLY…

As a Torontonian, I PROUDLY and VOCALLY oppose the proposal to remove urban bike lanes, and I believe that bike lanes are one of the best ways that cities can meet our climate goals, reduce congestion, increase the mental and physical health of our citizens, and build the economy.

I began cycling during the COVID pandemic as a way to maintain my health. I have found that cycling is one of the best things I can do to stay fit, and that the stress (one of the largest causes of disease in Canada) that I experience while cycling in a dedicated cycling lane is much, much lower than the stress of driving in a car.

I don't just cycle for exercise, I cycle practically. I bike to the grocery store to buy groceries. I bike to restaurants, I bike to my job. If I'm on my bike, I am not merely pedalling, I am in the midst of doing something practical that helps the Ontario economy. That's why I vigorously disagree with the idea that bike lanes can be "moved" to sidestreets and parks. If there is no long, interconnected grid of cycle lanes (like Bloor Street in Toronto) connecting starting points and destinations, the entire cycling infrastructure becomes useless. Telling cyclists to simply "go on side streets" is as ridiculous as telling drivers that they don't need to drive on major streets, they can simply get all of their driving done on side streets. This proposed law is badly misguided in who cyclists are and how bike lanes work.

Cyclists are residents. Cyclists are the economy. Cyclists are the nurses biking to work at the hospital and the delivery gig workers making sure your dinner arrives.

I wholeheartedly disagree with the Ontario Government making this a political wedge issue in our cities and interfering in municipal infrastructure matters in this way.