I staunchly oppose Bill 212 …

I staunchly oppose Bill 212 (Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, 2024) for several reasons including: ineffectiveness, detrimental impact to the environment and quality of life, and safety concerns for road users.

The bill would facilitate the creation of more highways around Toronto and the replacement of bike lanes in the city with car lanes. It's been shown repeatedly that adding lanes doesn't actually improve commute times or reduce congestion. We've seen this abroad, but a local example of this is Jarvis Street where drive times worsened after bike lanes on the street were removed. The cost of these projects could be used to something more effective and helpful, like expanding public transit within the city and surrounding regions so commuters are less dependent on private transport to reach their destinations.

From an environmental perspective, this bill is horrid. Schedules 2 and 3 are designed to fast-track roadway construction projects by shielding their early stages from due process. Section 2 of this bill provides exemption for the early stage projects of Highway 413 from the Environmental Assessment Act. Given effects we're seeing from climate change, it is absurd to me that the Ford government is seeking to further weaken our environmental protections. The planned route for Highway 413 passes through a sizable part of the Greenbelt and will damage rivers and farmland. The plan for the Bradford Bypass goes through the Holland Marsh and will damage important wetlands and woodlands. All of this would contribute to worse air quality, and consequentially, worse quality of life. The increase in emissions resulting from the construction of the highway and its use, and the damage done to our waterways, woodlands and farmlands far outweigh whatever marginal time savings there might be.

The removal of bike lanes from city roads also puts cyclists and drivers in greater danger. It forces cyclists closer to vehicles increasing the odds of serious, potentially fatal injuries. This will mean greater costs associated with emergency care, rehabilitation and legal processes. It would be better to keep the bike lanes in place and prevent more accidents from happening.

In conclusion, I firmly oppose Bill 212. It is a shortsighted mistake that caters to cars rather than the people of Ontario. It would further damage our environment, contribute hugely to air pollution, put more lives at risk and cost the taxpayer far too much - all for projects that would more than likely fail in their stated goal. The time, effort and funds that are going into this bill and the projects it aims to bolster are better spent on projects that instead prioritize efficacy, safety, and environmental guardianship.