Regarding changes to bike…

Regarding changes to bike lane approval going to provincial level

- most bikes lanes would require removing a lane of motor vehicle traffic so majority would fall under
the proposed process of provincial approval

- process and criteria used to assess if a bike lane is approved not specified. Mentions that city has to
provide information from studies for review but what is the criteria that the ministry will use to assess
the provided studies from the city and who will review. Would the provincial approval come from a
body of experts that have better knowledge than the municipal level - if so why not have experts
available at municipal level and avoid many layers of overlapping work. Would the current provincial
Transportation Minister be the approval board?

Currently from the ministers' responses about the proposal eliminating numerous established bike
lanes in Toronto is based on his first hand speaking to 'many' constituents and there is no study
backing his view. There is a fair amount of public consultation before lanes are built but no studies
are being done to propose their removal. Their proposed removal is based on no official city study
involving public consult and seems to have escalated to a bill that removes the decision making from
the people it affects.

- municipal level would be best suited to make decisions based on research conducted locally. Could
the process involve revision and amendment study after the lanes are in use for a year or so based
on study and consult with involved people to amend parts that can be improved?

Regarding 413

- though Federal level had already approved some kind of combined reducing of assessments for this
project I'm in favour of Federal level requiring EA from provincial. Provincial gov't was found to have
inappropriately surpassed proper study and avenues regarding other land use issues with greenbelt
zoning and development.