At a time when inequality is…

At a time when inequality is on the rise throughout the province and nature's capacity to absorb greenhouse gases (GHGs) is rapidly diminishing (Oxford University Press, 2024), we must prioritize solutions that reduce traffic density and ensure affordable transportation for all. This bill threatens to exacerbate the province's carbon footprint, deepen social inequities, and increase commuting times for everyone.

Furthermore, with no significant plans to transition to a cleaner electric grid over the next 10–15 years, and several nuclear plants scheduled for maintenance, electric vehicles (EVs) will not offer a viable solution to this crisis in the short term.

This bill also contravenes critical legal frameworks, including:

The Human Right of Mobility;
The Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change;
Ontario’s Provincial Policy Statement (PPS, 2020);
The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2020);
The Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program;
The Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA);
Canada's Net-Zero Emissions by 2050 Plan;
The Paris Agreement;
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG) 11 and 13.

By limiting people's capacity to move freely—regardless of income, background, or ethnicity—this bill undermines basic human rights. It also stalls progress on numerous international and domestic commitments to address climate change and social equity.

Nothing gets me more uneven, stressed and awake at night more than what this proposal represents: a step backward. I am deeply concerned that it will lead to a future where environmental, economic, and social conditions worsen for everyone. We must move forward together toward a more sustainable and equitable province. Canada already made 1.6 times more GHG emissions above usual because of the wildfires. Let's work to assure our survival as a species.