Bill 212 is a significant…

Bill 212 is a significant overreach of provincial authority. This measure contradicts continuously demonstrated benefits of essential cycling infrastructure. Studies repeatedly show that bike lanes ease congestion, reduce emissions, and have positive impacts on local business. Bike lanes are also essential to ensuring safety of pedestrians and cyclists.

It is well established that the only way to improve traffic flow is to reduce the amount of single vehicle traffic. The only way to achieve this is through improved public transportation and increased use of active transportation, both of which significantly reduce the number of cars on the road. One of the largest barriers to increased use of active transportation within Ontario is safety. Painted bicycle lanes and shoulders do not provide a sense of safety for cyclists and pedestrians. Well connected and physically separated bicycle lanes are required to promote the use of active transportation.

Bills claiming to “reduce gridlock” and “save us time” should be based on published evidence and should promote the use of active transportation with the development of well designed infrastructure. Transportation bills should promote increased cycling infrastructure with the use of well established design principles that are proven to reduce traffic congestion, not hinder the use of active transportation with the removal of cycling lanes.

Bill 212 must be blocked or rewritten to support evidence-based urban design that has been proven to reduce congestion (improved public transportation, well designed active transportation infrastructure, both of which need to be well connected.)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/bike-lanes-impacts-1.7358319

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5c0e5848e5274a0bf3cbe124…

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01441647.2021.1912849#abst…

https://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/30/2/161