This is an extremely…

This is an extremely disappointing policy proposal for several reasons, detailed below.

I am a young professional who has lived in Ontario all my life, and I care about Ontario communities and businesses, and contributing to Ontario's economy. These types of decisions make me consider moving to another province.

1. Removing bike lanes goes against the evidence for addressing gridlock. Bike lanes are an evidence-based way to decrease travel times for all vehicles on the road.

2. Bike lanes are good economics. They reduce strain on emergency and health care resources by promoting safety and fitness, and they increase business profits by increasing foot traffic.

3. Bike lanes signal we are a city and province ready for the future. They show investors that we care about the environment and have modern infrastructure.

4. Removing bike lanes is bad for Ontarians' wallets. Taxpayer money was spent to install bike lanes - many very recently - and using taxpayer money to take them out is wasted spending.

5. The province has bigger priorities than interfering with local planning. We need to let cities make decisions about their local infrastructure and see the province focus on provincial issues like health care, energy, and education.