As a concerned citizen of…

As a concerned citizen of Ontario, I am writing to express my strong opposition to Bill 212, the "Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act”. Even though I regularly drive my car in Toronto – I am not able to ride a bike unfortunately – I am strongly against this Bill. This Bill, while seemingly aimed at reducing congestion, will have the opposite effect in Toronto, undermining our city's progress in creating safer, more sustainable streets. The mass availability of protected bike lanes are not an inconvenience; they are a vital piece of urban infrastructure that makes Toronto a better, safer, and more livable city for everyone.

This Bill relies on the debunked misconception that bike lanes contribute to traffic congestion. In reality, the opposite is true. Cities around the world, including Toronto, have seen that building well-planned, protected bike lanes reduces the number of cars on the road. More people opt for cycling, knowing they have a safe route to travel on, and fewer people drive as a result. In cities like New York and London, protected bike lanes have shown to significantly decrease traffic congestion, as each bike lane allows hundreds of people to travel through busy streets in a space that otherwise might accommodate only a few cars. A bill that makes it easier to remove existing bike lanes and slow the instillation of new bike lanes will result in forcing more people back into cars and public transit, both of which are already overburdened.

Toronto, for instance, has made real progress in improving road safety through Vision Zero initiatives, and protected bike lanes are a cornerstone of that effort. We know that bike lanes reduce accidents. Cyclists are among the most vulnerable road users, and without safe, dedicated lanes, they are forced to share space with fast-moving vehicles, which dramatically increases the risk of accidents, injuries, and fatalities. The presence of protected bike lanes has been shown to reduce the likelihood of accidents by providing a clear separation between cyclists and cars. This Bill will put lives at risk by removing that protection. It will discourage cycling, a healthy, low-carbon form of transportation, in favour of more dangerous roads. My family, friends, and I are all deeply concerned about the erosion of infrastructure that saves lives.

In addition to their safety benefits, bike lanes improve the quality of life in urban spaces. Cities with robust cycling networks are more attractive places to live and work. By investing in cycling infrastructure, Toronto has become a more dynamic, forward-thinking city – which hopefully other cities and towns in Ontario will emulate. Bike lanes create communities where people feel comfortable cycling to work, school, or the grocery store—freeing them from the burdens of long commutes and the costs of owning a car. Bike lanes make our neighbourhoods quieter, reduce air pollution, and open up our streets to more diverse modes of transportation.

We are living in a time of climate crisis, and we have a responsibility to lead by example in reducing carbon emissions. Protected bike lanes are one of the most effective ways to encourage cycling, which is a zero-emissions mode of transportation. Fewer cars on the road means less pollution, less traffic, and healthier communities. Bill 212 fails to adequately recognize the environmental costs of forcing more cars back onto already congested roads. Removing protected bike lanes will only increase car dependency, exacerbating the environmental challenges we face as a city and as a province. In this critical moment, we cannot afford to roll back the progress we’ve made in building a more sustainable, resilient Ontario.

I strongly urge you to reconsider this Bill and instead focus on policies that truly reduce gridlock, save time, and improve safety—not just for drivers, but for everyone who shares our streets. Thank you.