This proposal is a bad idea…

This proposal is a bad idea for several reasons.

First, it seems like an over-reach of the provincial government into municipal jurisdiction, and one that would set a bad precedent.

Second, removing bike lanes will make it unsafe for cyclists and does nothing to help the environment. Bike lanes encourage people to ride their bikes to work, rather than taking their car, because they provide a safer way to travel by bike. Bikes produce zero emissions compared to cars. We should be encouraging and supporting people who commute by bike. Moreover, many delivery companies such as UberEats, etc. use cyclists in cities to deliver goods. Bike lanes make cycling safer for employees of these delivery companies. Removing bike lanes will be hazardous to these workers.

Third, provincial government time and money would be MUCH better spent on completing and improving alternative modes of transportation like light rail (e.g. finally finishing the LRT along Eglinton).

The bottom line is, if you want to decrease grid lock, then you need to get people out of their cars and into public transportation and bikes. People commute in their cars for convenience, yes, but also because there is no better alternative in many cases. Ask many car commuters and they will tell you that they would happily take a light rail, commuter train, bus, subway, etc if only these options were more frequent, more reliable, and had better coverage.