I strongly oppose this bill…

I strongly oppose this bill. It will lead directly to more cyclists being killed and injured; to more pollution and carbon emissions; to faster and more unsafe streets; to less cycling; and to the disempowerment of local democracy. Its benefits in terms of driving time are negligible, and emergency officials have said that bike lanes actually improve response times, contradicting false claims to the opposite effect.

Bike lanes are being put in by democratically elected governments with extensive public consultations. The province should keep out and focus on urgent issues like health care, education, housing, and the environment, all of which need a great deal more energy than this issue. The Ford government is deliberately using bike lanes to divide the electorate and divert attention from more serious issues.

Encouraging driving is the last thing this province needs in 2024. This is not the 1960s any more! We cannot build our way out of gridlock; the only proven solutions are better public transit, encouraging active transit (bikes and walking), and congestion pricing. Look around: every other world class city proves this. Cities that choose to prioritize the car become less liveable, with poorer health outcomes, and still suffer gridlock.

Thank you for considering my views. I hope you will also consider the evidence and rescind Bill 212.