"Prescribed municipalities…

"Prescribed municipalities would be required to seek provincial approval to allow for the implementation of new bicycle lanes (“bike lanes”) that require the removal of an existing lane of traffic. Approval will be based on a set of specified criteria, to be set out in guidance and/or regulation.

The proposed framework would also provide the province with the authority to request municipalities to submit information about existing bike lanes on municipal roads where an existing vehicle lane was removed. If the municipality does not have the required data, the Minister has the authority to compel the municipality to collect the data and provide it to the ministry."

And you say you are the government that reduces red tape? This is a make work project to appease your suburban voters who chose to drive into Toronto rather than taking the myriad of public transit options available. You are meddling in the affairs of municipalities that have no provincial jurisdiction. If you want to take over where bike lanes go, how about you also take over all the road maintenance too? You don't need any further statistics, they exist on paper and in reality. You have all the statistics you need from places like BC(Victoria and Vancouver), Montreal, Ottawa, Netherlands, Denmark, Finland to prove that dedicated bike lanes allow vehicle traffic to move better as it reduces the number of vehicles on the road (as more people who like to cycle will feel safer doing so). It is safer for everyone. How is adding more layers of approval for a municipal project going to save time and cost? Why should we the residents of Ontario pay for your government to rip out bike lanes(ie Bloor St) because your transportation minister(or should I say motor vehicle minister) wants to drive to work rather than lead by example and take Go Transit?

Removing bike lanes or refusing to permit the installation of bike lanes serves one purpose only; to prioritize motor vehicle movement over the safety of anyone else. So instead of separating bikes from motor vehicles you would rather us ride in traffic? Or on sidewalks(illegal and more dangerous seeing as many sidewalks are too narrow to begin with). You will see more deaths and injuries, you will remove a viable transport option for thousands of Ontarians. If you are sitting in traffic congestion, you are part of the problem. There are zero bike lanes on our highways yet congestion still exists. Motor vehicles are the problem, not bikes!

This is such a regressive 1950s policy. I bike to work more than I drive. It takes me 30min to drive on most days because of highway traffic and 35-40min to bike. I'm looking forward to pushing my cycling into November or even later if I can. One part of my route is extremely busy during rush hour but thankfully my municipality of Hamilton has a bike lane there. It isn't perfect as it isn't protected, but it allows for the stack of cars to inch along as I ride on past them. Removing this bike lane won't speed up traffic as I would then be riding within traffic. I would also be at greater risk of being killed by a vehicle as they race to pass me. I also ride a lot in Toronto. Could you imagine removing the bike lane on Royal York? Or Lakeshore Rd? Both routes are high motor vehicle traffic areas with tons of cyclists yet there is reduced conflict with bikes because we have our own dedicated space. If I am commuting to work or the grocery store, I want the most direct route to my destination. It's about time society gets it out of their head that bicycles are only for leisure trips and that they are a legitimate, convenient, non polluting, less space hogging mode of transportation than a motor vehicle.

Wasn't it you who said that you felt safer riding a bike when there were bike lanes? Why don't you stand by what you said? Every cyclist injury and death that occurs as a result of this policy, would be preventable.