This proposal is flawed and…

This proposal is flawed and short-sighted. The Government of Ontario should be focused on optimizing transit for people, not for cars. When municipalities make the decision, through their own information-gathering and decision-making processes, to construct new bike lanes according to the transportation needs of their residents, the province should not interfere. For a provincial government that consistently emphasizes the importance of doing away with unnecessary red tape, this policy is incredibly counter-intuitive. This policy would unnecessarily disrupt municipal transit solutions, prioritizing drivers over pedestrian safety, cyclist safety, environmental safety, municipal democratic processes, and climate solutions.
The section in the proposal on environmental concerns is laughably short and vague. Considering the developing climate crisis and the well-known environmental issues with car and road-based transportation that go beyond simply carbon emissions, environmental concerns should be one of the core elements of any proposal relating to transportation.
Furthermore, construction of bike lanes in many cases improves traffic congestion issues. Considering the smaller size of bicycles and bike lanes, when more drivers choose to use bicycles instead of cars they significantly reduce the space required for transportation. This frees up roads for people who are unable or unwilling to use bicycles for transportation. The Government of Ontario should be promoting bike lanes if they value efficient, safe, and effective transportation solutions, not impeding their construction with unnecessary bureaucracy.
Overall, this policy is counter to Ontario's transportation needs, tramples on municipal democracy, wastes time and money, and would be ineffective at achieving the results it aims to be prioritizing. Thus, it should be rejected.