This is a despicable bad…

This is a despicable bad-faith bill. It is a clear attempt at provincial overreach into municipal matters that is simultaneously trying to capitalize on a controversial transportation issue (bike lanes) to disguise a stab at funding for the 400-series highway expansion through the Greenbelt. Everything in this bill goes against all common sense for transportation and environmental sustainability.

Study after study shows that road widening does not solve congestion — the only solution is to provide MULTIPLE OPTIONS for people so that they have the FREEDOM OF CHOICE for how they choose to travel. Regarding the bike lane portion of the bill, blocking and/or removing new bike lanes on major roads will not change traffic congestion because:
1) Many people will still bike… their safety will just be compromised. Since most shops and businesses are primarily located on major streets, cyclists will still need to travel on those streets to access these important destinations, with or without bike lanes. Since riding on the sidewalk is illegal, those who choose to bike will be forced into the traffic lanes, slowing traffic and endangering their own safety. Of course, some cyclists will avoid the areas altogether, which will ultimately add up to lost revenue for small businesses. Doug Ford claims to be for the working class and small businesses but his actions fly right in the face of that while he lines the pockets of major corporations and developers.
2) Because of fear for their safety, some cyclists will choose to travel by car instead. This has the obvious effect of adding cars to the road, WORSENING congestion, increasing travel times, and causing more wear on our streets (i.e., ballooning infrastructure maintenance costs, which are already astronomically higher than the cost of any bike lane project). Plus, without the alternative routes/space provided by bike lanes, emergency vehicles will be stuck behind hundreds/thousands of idling cars and response times will continue to skyrocket.

A similar argument can be made against the expansion of the 400-series highways, including the idiotic tunnel idea under the 401 and the extremely environmentally harmful 413. The cost of projects like these would be absurd and they wouldn’t solve anything. The concept of induced demand has been proven time and time again, meaning after a year or so of slightly reduced travel times (at the cost of wildlife habitats and the provincial budget) drivers on a hypothetical sub-401 tunnel or the environmentally disruptive 413 will find themselves just as stuck as they already are on the existing 401 (already the widest highway in North America). The “one more lane” approach to transportation planning does not work. It’s time to stop pandering to a car-dominant mentality wherein the movement of single-occupant vehicles is treated as more important than the movement of people. Ironically, no one wins in this design — even drivers lose. A FAR better use of that money would be to invest in high speed rail with regular service along the Windsor-Montréal corridor and expansion of GO service to GTA-adjacent municipalities. This would take cars off the roads and free up travel space for those who still choose or need to drive. Transportation is about MOVING PEOPLE, NOT CARS, and the prioritization of alternative modes, like public and active transportation, makes that better for everyone — including those who to drive.

The direction that this government has chosen to take on these issues is disgusting, and Doug Ford’s misguided obsession with governing Toronto (instead of Ontario) is obvious. He and his cronies should stay their proverbial lanes and leave municipal issues to the local governments who are best-positioned to enact transportation policies according to the specific needs of their constituents. I stand vehemently against this bill and hope we can throw it out along with the current provincial administration.