This proposal will directly…

This proposal will directly endanger my life and the life of my family. I use bike lanes to go to work, to do my groceries, to see my nephew, to get to doctors appointments. Having a safe, separated lane allows me to travel safely and reduces the chance of being hit by a car. Without safe, protected bike lanes, I would choose to drive, which would only increase traffic, and further contribute to gridlock.

This bill will do nothing to decrease congestion. Study after study has found that increasing traffic lanes, while temporarily easy traffic, leads to increased demand. That is because more drivers will know that increased capacity exists, and will choose to drive.

Municipalities know what is best for their communities. The province should not be overreaching its power into local matters. We don't need more government oversight on local matters that have local, knowledgeable experts on the ground. I urge the province to focus its work on its own spheres of jurisdiction, which are in crisis situations - health care, education, children's services.

The climate crisis is not going away. Cyclists are not going away. Bike lanes represent a tiny fraction of roadways. Removing them will not fix our problems. If it did, other streets with gridlock traffic - like King St, like Dupont St, like the Gardiner, would not face traffic issues.

I urge the premier to consider facts and evidence, rather than using wedge issues to score political points with the party's voter base. Bike lanes save lives. The premier himself said in a TVO interview in 2017:

"We have to do everything we can to make sure there’s never a death in the city. One death is way too many when it comes to bicycle riders. We have to make sure that they’re safe." 

Premier Ford, six people riding bikes have been killed on Toronto’s streets in 2024 alone—more than in the previous three years combined. Every death is a family’s unbearable loss, and each new tragedy reopens old wounds for those who have already suffered. Premier Ford, please reconsider Bill 212. Our roads should be safe for everyone, not just people driving. Please work with municipalities to implement data-driven solutions that can address both traffic safety and congestion.