Bill 212 fundamentally…

Bill 212 fundamentally threatens our rights as Ontarians to have a healthful environment by bypassing our Environmental bill of rights and the Environmental Assessment Act

Cars are the least efficient form of transportation. There is significant evidence that car lane expansion in both cities and highways result in more congestion due to induced demand. The expansion of highways and the resulting increase of private motor vehicle ownership will inevitably speed up climate change, worsen traffic and increase Ontario's dependence on fossil fuels. By expanding car infrastructure, the government fails to solve the main problem of transporting goods and people efficiently and discriminates against those who cannot afford or chose not to own a private motor vehicle. The act fundamentally worsens the issues it proposes to fix.

There are certain proposals that are concerning from a democratic point of view. It proposes power to bypass the Environmental Assessment Act as well as the Environmental Bill of Rights. It also restricts land owner's ability to propose a later land appropriation date if they would require it for the completion of the highway 413 and similar projects. This is in my opinion is an abuse of power.