This proposed legislation is…

This proposed legislation is wrong-headed and counter-productive to the goals it claims to have. If passed, it would be a triumph of cynical politics over evidence-based policy. A government that has induced more traffic and failed to manage public transit projects now wants to scapegoat bike lanes, accusing them of causing the congestion that is in fact caused by cars and trucks.

Before 1971, we didn't have a Ministry of Transportation - we had a Ministry of Highways. This legislation threatens to drag up back fifty years. What's next, the Spadina Expressway? Professional public servants, policy experts, and anyone who has studied transportation policy in urban areas understands that tearing up bike lanes and banning them from major streets is counter to housing, planning, transportation, emissions, and environmental goals. This action is reminiscent of when the Ford government, in its first term, ripped out EV charging stations, only to replace them later, at higher cost. The contempt for taxpayers, as well as the lives of cyclists, pedestrians, and other road users who benefit from safe infrastructure is breathtaking.

This abhorrent legislation will cost lives while failing to improve congestion. Championing it is shameful, and inconsistent with the values of public service.