As an Ontario taxpayer, I…

As an Ontario taxpayer, I would like my taxes to support well thought out plans that improve the lives of all Ontarians. I am dismayed that the proposed legislation will take the province back to a 1960's approach to transportation and the hard-earned tax dollars that I provide intend to be squandered on regressive ideas that should never have been introduced or considered in the first place.

If the purpose of the bill is truly to reduce gridlock, there are many international examples of innovative planning. Where is the creative problem solving reflected in this proposed piece of legislation?

For example, as has been suggested many times, why is either the buy-back or a lease-back option not sought out as a solution to divert truck traffic from the 401 to the 407? The short-sighted 407 lease by the previous Harris conservative government could be reversed by a solutions-based government that recognizes more roads will only create induced demand, congesting new roads with more traffic, thereby negating the intended outcome and worsening climate impacts.

I would like to see a provincial transportation strategy that focuses on creating solutions that encourage public transportation as the preferred mode of transportation. In order to achieve this long-term goal, a multi-pronged approach must develop comprehensive networks, encourage affordable/accessible transportation systems, and incorporate active transportation options that are safe and efficient.

In order to shift to a public transit focused province there are several issues the government could tackle. For example,

Make public transit faster

Support the development of dedicated transit lanes to keep private vehicles from obstructing buses and trams.

Buy back the 407 lease

The highway wasn’t sold, just leased (for 99 years). Buying back the lease will be less costly than building a new road and could happen very quickly.

There is no point buying it back and removing tolls completely. It’s set up to collect tolls. Without tolls, the road would soon fill to capacity. The toll should be lower than the current charge. However, the 407 buy-back must be paid for, and asking residents of Barrie, Ottawa, Timmins, Windsor or Thunder Bay to pay for a road they may never use is unfair.

Charge fees for all 400-series highways in the GTA

The other 400-series highways in the GTA, plus the QEW, should charge tolls. They may be modest, but multiplied by their huge traffic, they should bring in enough to pay for the 407 buy-back with money to spare for transit projects designed to reduce traffic congestion.

The tolls on the other 400-series roads should be collected as the 407 collects them now.

Toronto-to-Montreal high-speed, high-frequency rail

On Oct. 29, the federal government announced, on CBC Radio, that it would begin building a high-speed, high-frequency rail corridor linking Toronto, Montreal and Quebec City. The trains would achieve speeds of 300 km/h. This project may take a decade before even the Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal section is ready, but promises many benefits. The province should consider how it can support this project to reduce congestion on the corridor linking these cities.

Urban transit should be 'free'

Public transit systems are subsidized to keep ticket prices low. The subsidy doesn’t eliminate the costs of fare collection, accounting, policing, etc. However, “free transit” eliminates them all.

Transit vehicles could be redesigned. Buses would use both front and rear doors, perhaps adding another door to speed loading and unloading passengers. Shorter stops would allow the same size fleet to provide faster, more frequent service ... with the intention to shift drivers from their cars to public transit. A surprisingly long list of cities provide “free” public transit in order to encourage this change including some in this province.

Develop More Bike Lanes

Walking and cycling are the cleanest ways to get around a city, and both can have enormous benefits for health, greenhouse gas emissions, air quality, road safety and equity. Cities as diverse as Bogotá, Copenhagen, Montréal and Barcelona are leading the way in encouraging walking and cycling. Rather than eliminating bike lanes, they should be increased in all Ontario cities as a way of improving the health and safety of all residents - cyclists, pedestrians included.

Specifically, I am appalled to hear that Transportation Minister Sarkaria said Toronto bike lanes used by "only 1.2 percent of people" to get to work — need to be removed as "70 per cent of the population travels to work by car." Not only does federal data show higher cycling rates within Toronto's boundaries, the city also has its own data on cycling.

A 2019 city study found that 44 per cent of Torontonians bike in good weather to get to school, work, shop or visit friends. It also found 26 per cent of people bike for fun or fitness only, making 70 per cent of Torontonians cyclists in some capacity. Why this attack on municipal cycling infrastructure by a provincial government? Surely, there are provincial issues that the Government of Ontario could address rather than meddling in municipal matters. Local governments know their communities best and have the understanding to develop their municipalities to best support residents.

Reduce Proposed Highways

Provincially, we need fewer highways, not more. Projects such as the Bradford By-pass and Hwy 413 should be scrapped in favour of shifting the focus to transportation networks less dependent on the private automobile and more focus on sustainable modes of transportation, prioritizing high-quality, accessible and safe networks for pedestrians, cycling and surface transit.

I live beyond the GTA boundary but frequently use the GO Train and then TTC to travel to Toronto. Although these systems can be improved, I am exceedingly pleased with the overall experience and would hope that they continue to be a high priority for this government. I see no reason to encourage more vehicular traffic at the expense of current and future active transportation networks.