Provincial legislation (Bill…

Provincial legislation (Bill 212) aimed at keeping towns and cities from building bike lanes and even forcing some to remove them is bad news for everyone in Ontario, wherever they live. For people who live in the towns and cities directly affected, it will result in more dangerous streets and more congestion. For those who don’t, it introduces a dangerous and false polarization, pitting drivers against cyclists and encouraging dangerous driving.
The proposed legislation is not just an urban problem. Rural municipalities and small towns across Ontario have been creating cycling infrastructure because they know cycling reduces traffic, promotes health, reduces environmental damage and promotes tourism. For instance, the County of Renfrew has embraced this thinking with its Active Transportation Policy, and a network of roads with hardened shoulders is quickly developing as a result. Municipalities around the County are doing the same with their roads. The Province putting the brakes on bike lanes sends a negative message about these developments.
Cycling brings together citizens of all political persuasions, as shown by the huge turnout for group cycling events in Westmeath, Killaloe, Eganville, Braeside and Petawawa. Local businesses are going bike-friendly to attract the growing number of cycle tourists.
Creating a polarized us-versus-them, drivers-versus-cyclists atmosphere is bound to encourage negative attitudes and dangerous driving. Parents sending their kids off to school, commuters getting to work, folks out shopping, seniors touring and exploring new places – all these people have reason to feel threatened by this proposed legislation.
The proposal has also pitted the provincial government against municipal ones. Having the Province tell towns and cities what they should do is so deeply offensive and makes so little sense that the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) – a non-partisan association of municipal officials – has condemned Bill 212, on which it was not consulted at all before it was introduced. “Bicycle lanes are an essential element of urban transportation planning and road safety,” it wrote in a news release.” Requiring provincial approval would be a significant overreach into municipal jurisdiction.
“Based on local knowledge and community input, municipalities develop transportation plans that balance traffic flow with planning priorities like active transportation, multi-modal transportation and environmental and health protection.” Local leaders and staff are much better equipped to know local needs than provincial politicians.
Premier Ford argues that bike lanes cause traffic congestion. Research says they don’t. The City of Toronto has done extensive research, as reported in City Hall Watcher, finding that while bike usage has jumped by as much as 1,000 percent on some streets as a result of bike lanes, travel time for cars has actually dropped on some routes (Adelaide St., University Ave.) and increased only marginally in others (Bloor and Richmond Streets). CBC News reports that from New York to Montreal to Copenhagen to Paris, installation of bike lanes has led to rapid growth in cycling and less traffic congestion, as people find cycling an attractive, affordable and safe alternative to driving.
In England, one of the most comprehensive studies on the subject has shown that building roads, on the other hand, actually encourages congestion because it encourages more people to drive. As urban planning expert Lewis Mumford wrote in 1955, “Adding car lanes to deal with traffic congestion is like loosening your belt to cure obesity.” More and better public transportation and more people on bikes are more effective deterrents to congestion.
The growing popularity of e-bikes is bringing a multitude of new commuters to the existing bike lanes as they use them for everyday transportation. This trend is growing quickly and if encouraged by providing enhanced safety for those commuters, will lead to fewer cars on the crowded urban streets as people opt for the faster commute and fewer parking problems offered by e-bikes.
Further, segregated bike lanes, in numerous studies in Toronto, NY and others, increase business for retailers. Patrons arriving by bicycle or foot visit most often and spend the most money per moth.

This bill is a step backward and should be withdrawn in favour of action that truly enhances safety and gets people moving.