This decision would have a…

This decision would have a devastating detrimental impact on Toronto's cycling network, and is a terrible idea. Many condominium developments today are being built with more bike parking than car parking. Toronto bike share continues to post record ridership every year. Many people want to bike, but most won't, if there isn't safe infrastructure.

Adding excessive regulation around bike lanes is bad for local businesses (which get significantly more traffic when bike lanes are implemented) and overreaching with a one size fits all approach to cities. It is prioritizing the needs of entitled suburbanites, who visit occasionally, over the needs of actual residents who live downtown and use these bike lanes every day.

Furthermore, car ownership and dependence as a model for everyone is bad for the environment, and creates economic inequality for people who either can't afford a car, or can't drive. Whereas building bike lanes actually gets cars off the road (making driving more enjoyable for folks who still need to drive). In addition, bikes are dramatically more space efficient, (and for those who are able to cycle) better for your health than driving.

I want to see Ontario investing more in public transit and encouraging cities to build more bike infrastructure. The policy being proposed is the complete opposite of what I think would be best for this province. And not just for Toronto; disincentivizing car use and building protected bike infrastructure would dramatically improve life for residents of cities like London and Ottawa as well.

I urge you to reconsider this legislation and try to take a collaborative, evidence-based approach where cities (like Toronto, for example, who have already done numerous studies on the effects of bike lanes) can be part of the solution for reducing congestion by encouraging other modes of transportation and keeping pedestrians and cyclists safe.