This legislation is a…

This legislation is a mistake that will significantly reduce the ability of Ontario’s cities to adapt to transportation and environmental needs going forward. Not everyone in our cities owns a car, and by legislating preference for drivers over other individuals using our roads, this legislation will only increase congestion by encouraging more people to drive, doing the exact opposite of what it is designed to do. Studies have repeatedly shown that bike lanes reduce congestion and fatalities on roads. For example, see attached a link to a strong endorsement of bike lanes by the Canadian Paediatric Society.

Moreover, as someone who lives in a downtown core and doesn’t own a car, this legislation seems to establish an explicit preference for residents of the suburbs who need to visit downtown over local residents, many of whom use bikes and other forms of active transportation to visit local businesses and commute to work.

Finally, this legislation is an assault on municipal decision-making powers; the provincial government does not know better than local governments whether a bike lane is needed on a specific road, and any process for reviewing and removing these lanes will be a significant waste of time and public money, while making our cities less liveable in the process.

Locking in a car-centric status quo that has repeatedly proven to be costly in time, money, and the lives of road users is not the answer. Please reconsider this legislation.