To whom it may concern. I…

I vigorously and adamantly disagree with this proposed legislation, and as a resident of Toronto I demand that it not be passed. I outline my reasons below.

Bike lanes in Toronto are an essential part of our transportation system. We use them to commute, to run errands, get groceries, and so many other purposes. I use them regularly to get around my neighborhood, attend appointments, and go to the gym. The removal of bike lanes and the stagnation of their development (which let's be honest here, is what this legislation would effectively accomplish) directly harms me.

Bike lanes incentivize people to bike instead of drive, reducing the amount of cars on our roads and reducing gridlock. As a driver, I am in favour of bike lanes because it means that when I have to drive less cars are in my way. As a cyclist, I am in favour of bike lanes because they keep me safer and allow me to bike downtown if I want to.

Bike lanes are cheap to build, maintain, and use compared to automotive lanes. Toronto has just drastically increased taxes to cover our budget. The last thing we need is to spend money destroying cheap infrastructure to build expensive infrastructure.

The need to consult the province before building new bike lanes introduces bureaucracy that slows development and increases costs for no benefit. This proposed legislation is not a framework, it is an obstacle. Why should an MPP from Thunder Bay, for example, be bothered about Toronto's bike lanes when she has so much other important work to do? With all due respect, does she know more about my city than my city councilor?

The involvement of the province in municipal affairs in this way without the city's consent is overreach. Doug Ford, stop trying to be Premier of Toronto, that's not your job. You were elected to be Premier of our province, so govern the entire province and not just our city.

I both drive and I ride my bike regularly so I see both sides of the argument. This legislation is an extremely poor idea, and downright regressive. I want transportation infrastructure built, not delayed and destroyed. Stop waging a culture war and do your job.

Evan