Bill 212 has the stated goal…

Bill 212 has the stated goal of reducing gridlock, saving Ontarians time, however there is no evidence to suggest any of the steps proposed will actually reduce gridlock, on the contrary it will increase congestion, by making it unsafe and inefficient traverse our cities and towns by any means other an automobile.
By limiting the installation of new bike lanes, the government is prioritizing the convenience of one group, motorists, over that of another, cyclists. This is despite there being no evidence to suggest that removing bike lanes in favour of additional lanes for cars will reduce travel times. There is a multitude of evidence showing that adding additional lanes for automobiles will not reduce congestion, as it simply induces more demand. This ultimately leads to more cars on the road, resulting in more pollution and more congestion. Just look at highway 401 for evidence of this, one of the largest highways in North America is still rife with congestion because adding more lanes in place of a viable alternative to driving has resulted in more people driving.
This same principle holds true for good bike infrastructure, build it and they will come. Instead of being forced into ripping up existing bike infrastructure, municipalities should be allowed to build out robust, well-connected bike infrastructure. Much of Ontario's bike infrastructure is in its infancy, many of the lanes are difficult to access and may not go between where people live and work. One wouldn't drive a car on a road that goes nowhere, how can someone be expected to ride a bike. Forcing bike lanes onto side streets is not a solution to this problem as the layouts of our cities and towns no longer follow a walkable grid but feature meandering subdivisions that go nowhere to cater to drivers. This means traffic, be it car, bike, or pedestrian, cannot be diverted away from major arteries as the alternatives are laughably inefficient.
The solution is to expand the bike infrastructure, not tear it out. Look at the success of this practice in places like the Netherlands, Paris, Belgium, and even Montreal. If biking can become a safe, practical alternative to driving, it will give people another choice in their commute besides purchasing an expensive car, or taking what is often underfunded public transit.
Furthermore, the notion that the provincial government believes it can govern Ontario communities more effectively than the government those communities elected to govern themselves is laughable and an insult to the notion of democracy. All politics should serve local interests first. The idea that the provincial government would use its power to force municipalities to spend millions tearing up infrastructure they have already spent millions to install is spitting in the face of fiscal responsibility.