Earlier today I shared my…

Earlier today I shared my reasons for opposing the province’s proposal to remove by claims on Bloor Street, Yong Street and University Avenue and to allow the province to determine where by clans would be located within the city of Toronto.

In particular, I shared a story of how I encountered a young mother and her five-year-old son biking down the bike lane on Adelaide Street this summer and how the bike Laine provided the safety necessary for her five-year-old son to get back-and-forth across downtown Toronto. I further shared that what she had informed me was that by being able to allow him to ride back-and-forth, saved her an hour each way rather than commuting on public transit.

After sharing my concern and my position I hopped on my bike and I went to visit my in-laws in Bloor West Village. Along the way at the corner of Parkside Drive in Bloor, I encountered another young mother with her three kids all on bikes. I asked if I could take their photo which they permitted me to do.

I’m sharing the photo with you here because this is the reason that we need bike lanes in Toronto can you imagine this young mother with her nine-year-old daughter and her two sons in the carrier behind trying to cycle down any street where there weren’t dedicated bike lanes.

I then took my elderly in-laws out to Elora for lunch. It then took us three hours to drive back down the 401. Rest assured that the incredibly lengthy drive that we had coming back was not a consequence of any bike lanes in Toronto but rather because of the construction on the Gardner and various other construction taking place in and around the GTA.

Respectfully, why doesn’t the premier and the province stay in their lane and actually deal with the gridlock that is being created by the province itself. By that I’m referring to the reconstruction of the Gardiner Expressway, the shutting down of Yonge and University at Queen Street for construction of the Ontario Line, and need I mention the Eglington LRT? These are all projects that are in provincial jurisdiction that are currently causing far more gridlock in the city of Toronto than any bike lane on Bloor, Yonge, or University.

For the safety of the kids and young moms - those that can’t afford a car and who have to rely on other means of getting around Toronto — stop making a political issue of bike lanes and provide them the safety and convenience they deserve. And instead - the province should stay in its lane and deal with the projects in its jurisdiction that are truly shutting down traffic in the city of Toronto.