I am a professional…

I am a professional architect and longtime Toronto resident, car owner, regular driver and a commuting cyclist. I value the ability to get around the City efficiently when I am driving. However, I will accept increased travel time if it means that I have not contributed to the death of a person.

Bill 212 - Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, 2024 will result in avoidable cyclist deaths every year if existing bicycle lanes are removed (or not constructed) as a result of it. The Bill is contrary to the objectives of the City of Toronto's Vision Zero Road Safety Plan, which seeks to reduce traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries on Toronto’s streets.

In some jurisdictions such as Sweden, the responsibility for designing transportation infrastructure that prevents fatalities has been made law.

In contrast, by passing this bill, the Ontario government will be actively and knowingly legislating cyclist fatalities for the stated purpose of reducing gridlock and saving time.

Separated bike lanes with multi-modal transportation infrastructure that accommodates many alternative options for getting around the city can be very successful formula as has been demonstrated in the Netherlands and in other places. Increasing transportation options reduces gridlock. Fostering walkable and bikeable neighborhoods reduces gridlock. Neither one increases fatalities.

The government of Ontario should support Vision Zero initiatives and not expend taxpayer resources to actively work against them.

Several related links provided below.