As a student from Toronto…

As a student from Toronto being represented by your government, I am deeply disappointed by the lack of environmental concerns being considered in this bill. Not only does it ignore the empirical evidence of other countries around the world who have successfully integrated bike lanes without increased traffic congestion (see below links), but also is a bandaid fix to a larger issue. Instead of aiming to fast-track highway production by paving through Greenbelt areas, your government should be focusing on investing in safe, convenient, and environmentally conscious transportation infrastructure. Bill 212 is an overstep by the province into a jurisdiction that should be left up to municipalities. I hope you seriously consider the grave consequences that this Bill will have if put into action. We need to be thinking about the future, not just the here and now. And while this bill may seem to be the appropriate course of action for the present, that shortsightedness will be regretted years down the road as the climate crisis deepens.

Thank you for your time.