I do not support this…

I do not support this proposal. Requiring provincial involvement/approval for any municipal bike lanes is not only a gross overstep of the provincial government into municipal matters, but also will absolutely not solve the issues of traffic congestion and gridlock it purports to - all it will do is discourage people from cycling and put those who continue to do so at greater risk, while traffic in cities like Toronto continues to be untenable.

Research shows that dedicated bicycle lanes do not cause increased traffic congestion AND that that building roads with more lanes for cars does not reduce congestion: more car lanes only encourage more people to drive (source https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/bike-lanes-impacts-1.7358319).

Protecting Toronto’s bike lanes is also of personal importance to me, as both a cyclist and a driver.

Cycling is often faster than driving and as such it’s an option I value greatly. The addition of bike lanes on major Toronto streets has made cycling safer, easier, and more enjoyable for casual commuting cyclists like me. However, I would not cycle on major streets such as Bloor or Younge without a protected lane, and not being able to use those major arteries significant limits where I can safely travel on a bike.

I am also a daily driver, and having bike lanes makes me more comfortable sharing the road with cyclists, knowing they have a designated space and ideally are protected. I do not want an extra lane for cars. Removing protected bike lanes will not stop cyclists from using those roads, it will only make it far more dangerous for them to do so.

The province of Ontario should stay out of municipal affairs and focus on real, proven solutions to improve traffic congestion that are actually within its mandate, such as supporting municipal efforts to expand public transit, for example by getting the Eglinton Crosstown completed and investing more in the TTC.