I strongly oppose this bill…

I strongly oppose this bill and fear for my own safety and the safety of my children if it is passed. It is a clear overreach into municipal issues and does nothing to touch the underlying causes of congestion. All good evidence suggests that it will only increase congestion in the longterm while endangering cyclists, wasting money, increasing emissions during a climate crisis and hurting businesses along the Bloor, Yonge and University corridors. I do not drive and rely on transit, walking and cycling to get to work, bring my children to school, go shopping, visit family and friends - for everything. It sickens me that this provincial government would choose theoretically slightly reducing the driving time for a few people over my safety and my children's safety. This bill will cause injuries, this bill will cause more cyclists to lose their lives. If the province would like to reduce congestion, increased investment in rapid transit throughout the region is critical, as well as making ALTERNATIVES to driving such as CYCLING safe and efficient for all members of the public, including young people and elderly people. Investing is cycling and other active transportation infrastructure is also a powerful investment into public health (with inactivity being hugely costly for the province in healthcare costs).

I am also deeply concerned about the province's attempt to exempt Highway 413 from the Greenbelt Plan and Environmental Assessment Act as well as Ontario's Provincial Planning Statement. This egregious and reckless plan again fails to ensure the health and safety of future generations and will not resolve the issue of congestion! I am so ashamed to live in this province right now.