I live in Toronto with my…

I live in Toronto with my family, and I cycle to work every day to provide for them. I rely on the protected lanes on bloor and university to make sure I get to and from work safely. This proposal, if removing bike lanes is carried out, will directly endanger me, and greatly increase the risk of my family losing a father. If the Government would like to accomplish its mission of making Ontario a place for families to grow, this proposal directly contradicts this objective.

Furthermore, elements of this proposal directly contradict the Premier’s beliefs. Specifically, in April of 2024, Premier Ford stated, “I believe in letting municipalities determine what is good for their communities and what is not good for their communities.” This proposal directly infringes on this municipal freedom held by the Premier by creating more red tape for municipalities instead of removing it to build what is appropriate for their communities.

In review of the data, I am extremely disheartened to see that pandemic era data, when everyone was in Lockdown, was used as the baseline for making the case that traffic congestion grew, and then disingenuously blaming cycle lanes. The Government should be making policy based on appropriate data, instead of twisting inappropriate data to create an incorrect narrative.

I believe in getting Ontario moving. However, the proposal as it stands fails to appropriately consider the non-automobile modes of transport that people rely on every day to feed their families, and make Ontario a strong economy.

I sincerely hope the Government either rescinds this proposal, or amends it in recognition of municipal freedoms and the safety of Ontario’s population.