This bill is a gross…

This bill is a gross overreach of provincial jurisdiction and shows a blatant disregard for the safety and wishes of Ontarians.

The implementation of bicycle lanes within a municipality is purely a municipal issue and should not fall under the purview of the province. Why should someone in Thunder Bay have to put their tax dollars toward a provincial approval for possible bicycle infrastructure being built in Ottawa? Requiring any bicycle lanes that may require a reduction in available car lanes to be first approved by the province is incredibly inefficient at best, and an overreach of provincial powers at worst. Provincial resources would be far better utilized by working to complete the various Metrolinxs projects, including the Ontario Line, as these will go a long way towards reducing congestion as they provide a meaningful alternative to driving.

Additionally, the requirement that the bicycle infrastructure along Bloor Street, Yonge Street, and University Avenue within the City of Toronto be removed is foolish. The bicycle lanes along these streets have done much towards making them safer for cyclists to traverse, removing them forces cyclists to intermingle with motor vehicle traffic which puts them at significant risk. This infrastructure was installed at significant cost by the City of Toronto over the course of several years and was only completed recently. If this was such a severe issue that it necessitated the province to intervene than why was the construction of these lanes not stopped earlier? Why are these three lanes in the City of Toronto specifically targeted in a provincial bill? Putting provincial resources towards a purely municipal concern is fiscally irresponsible.

Lastly, the proposed changes to Highway 413 construction and granting it several exemptions are unacceptable. The province should be made to follow due-process rather than pushing through Highway 413 and granting it exemptions to fast-track its construction. Exempting the project from environmental impact assessments and the changes proposed to the creation of easements are wholly unnecessary and serve only to allow the province to proceed with construction without accountability. This lack of transparency and borderline contempt for our rules and processes is not befitting of provincial authority and is not in the best interests of Ontarians whom the province represents.