Doug Ford’s plan to remove…

Doug Ford’s plan to remove bike lanes from major city streets is not only reckless policy—it’s a dangerous and deliberate power grab that prioritizes short-term political gain over the well-being of millions of Torontonians.

By targeting bike lanes, Ford is undermining years of evidence-based urban planning, dismissing public consultation, and dismantling critical infrastructure. This move would have disastrous consequences, exacerbating safety risks, worsening environmental challenges, harming local businesses, and threatening the principles of local governance.

Bill 212 is not about improving transportation or making streets safer; it’s about consolidating provincial power at the expense of Toronto’s autonomy. By overriding municipal decision-making, Ford is continuing a troubling trend of interference:
• Cutting Toronto City Council (2018): Ford slashed the size of council mid-election, disregarding the democratic process.
• Imposing “Strong Mayor” Powers: These powers allow the provincial government to force through its priorities, often in conflict with Toronto’s needs.

Ford’s repeated attacks on Toronto’s governance are a blatant overreach, revealing a pattern of prioritizing centralized control over local expertise and decision-making. Bill 212 is just the latest example of this autocratic tendency.

Safety: A Public Health and Humanitarian Crisis

Bike lanes are essential for protecting some of Toronto’s most vulnerable road users. Removing them would have dire consequences:
• Increased Collisions and Fatalities: Bike lanes reduce conflicts between vehicles and cyclists by up to 50%. Their removal will lead to more injuries and deaths, directly contradicting Toronto’s Vision Zero goal of eliminating traffic fatalities.
• Exacerbating Inequities: Cyclists are often children, seniors, and low-income residents who rely on bike lanes for safe, affordable transportation. This policy puts their lives at unnecessary risk.

By dismantling bike lanes, Ford is sending a clear message: the safety of vulnerable road users is expendable.

Environmental and Economic Backsliding

At a time when cities around the world are investing in sustainable transportation to combat climate change, Ford’s plan to remove bike lanes is shockingly regressive:
• Worsened Climate Impact: Cycling is a zero-emission mode of transportation. Removing bike lanes will force more people into cars, increasing greenhouse gas emissions and worsening Toronto’s air quality.
• Economic Harm: Contrary to Ford’s claims, bike lanes benefit local businesses by encouraging foot and bike traffic. Removing them risks driving customers away, further hurting small businesses still recovering from the pandemic.

This policy ignores the global climate emergency and undermines Toronto’s economy, all for the sake of a car-centric agenda.

Ford’s rhetoric frames bike lanes as a nuisance to drivers, pandering to a vocal minority while ignoring the majority of Torontonians who support cycling infrastructure. This divisive approach fuels unnecessary conflict between drivers and cyclists, suburban and urban residents, distracting from more pressing issues like housing affordability, public transit investment, and healthcare.

By vilifying bike lanes, Ford is using populist tactics to score cheap political points at the expense of Toronto’s long-term well-being.

Bill 212 is not just a transportation issue; it’s a direct assault on Toronto’s ability to govern itself. By overriding local decisions on infrastructure, Ford undermines the city’s autonomy and sets a dangerous precedent for provincial overreach. If he can dismantle bike lanes today, what stops him from dictating other aspects of urban policy tomorrow?

Toronto’s leaders and residents must recognize this as more than a policy debate—it’s a fight for the city’s right to shape its own future.

Doug Ford’s attack on bike lanes is a calculated power grab that endangers lives, accelerates climate change, and weakens local governance. By removing this critical infrastructure, Ford is sacrificing Toronto’s safety, sustainability, and economic stability to fuel a politically motivated agenda.