I own Grey Tiger, a…

I own Grey Tiger, a neighbourhood cocktail bar & bottle shop on Bloor Street West near Pauline Avenue. I am worried that by removing the Bloor bike lane, Bill 212—The Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act—will hurt my business. Minister Sarkaria’s statements that bike lanes are bad for small businesses just aren’t true. The Bloor bike lane is part of what makes my business work.

Few of my customers drive. As a cocktail bar, my customers often need an alternative to driving. The Bloor bike lanes offer that. I would say a third of my customers use the Bloor bike lanes. I can’t afford to lose that business, and it is not realistic that these customers would be replaced by motorists.

My business also relies on delivery services. Since the bike lanes have been installed, delivery services have changed dramatically. Nearly all deliveries to my customers are now made by electric bicycles. It is inconceivable that these deliveries could be made as well by drivers as they are by cyclists. Without bike lanes, delivering to my customers will be slower, more dangerous, and less reliable.

We participate in the CaféTO program and have a small patio located on the Bloor Street sidewalk. The bike lane buffers our patio from passing traffic, making it a pleasant place to sit and talk. I doubt the patio would attract many customers for happy hour if they had to sit immediately next to rush hour traffic. Because of the bike lane, my business has literally been able to expand, onto the sidewalk and into the community.

My customers bike to my bar. My employees bike to work and so do I. Small businesses like mine do better when thoroughfares like Bloor Street are safe and orderly. Bike lanes help provide that. Please, rethink Bill 212 and leave the Bloor bike lane where it is.