Bill 212 will not work. The…

Bill 212 will not work. The idea that removing bike lanes will relieve congestion is demonstrably false. If this Bill passes and the provincial government uses my tax money to remove bike lanes, traffic will not improve. This fact has been well known for decades, and countries all around the world have installed bike lanes and not seen negative impacts on traffic. The Ontario Provincial Planners Institute themselves have released a statement saying "the proposed legislative changes will not reduce congestion". Similarly, the Ontario Traffic Council have released their own statement saying "knowledgeable and experienced engineers and planners would suggest there is no data to support this concept." Considering that the literal institutions that handle planning for the province are saying it won't work, this seems like a massive waste of time and money. This is also not even taking into account the safety and environmental mess that more cars will put us in. A mere 7 years ago, the premier himself said: "You’re nervous when there’s no bike lanes. At least I was. We have to do everything we can to make sure there’s never a death in the city. One death is way too many when it comes to bicycle riders." He knows people are going to die if bike lanes are removed. And 120 physicians and UofT researchers know it too, and have given their own statement on it. Bike lanes allow transportation for people who can't afford a car. Bike lanes are conducive to healthier lifestyles and therefore eases pressure on the healthcare system. But sure, waste money tearing them up so we can have twice as many cars stuck in gridlock as we do now.