There are several issues…

There are several issues with this proposed legislation and the talking points associated with it, not the least of which are the misguided notions (not supported by evidence) that bicycle lanes increase car traffic congestion and also reduce business volume at enterprises along their routes. Indeed, experience in many other locations in fact shows the opposite to be true.

What bicycle lanes do provide, however, is a safer environment for citizens - many of whom are also car drivers - to enjoy the benefits of cycling, an activity good for their health, their pocketbooks, and the environment. At a time when Ontarians are concerned about the failure of the health care system, the rising cost of living, and disaster relief following extreme weather events, it seems foolhardy to dissuade people from choosing a mode of transportation that addresses all three. And it is even more egregious to expect those who cannot afford motor vehicles or bus fare to pay for this misguidedness with their lives because of a lack of cycling infrastructure.

World-wide, cities that cater to people rather then to cars are universally acclaimed to be more desirable places to live. Why is this government seemingly intent on making Ontario less desirable?