Hello, I was very…

Hello,

I was very disappointed when I heard about this proposed new bill and legislation from the provincial government. As Ontario and its largest cities continue to grow, it is CRUCIAL that people have a variety of methods of getting around (walking, driving, transit, cycling). We should NOT be limiting the options people have to move around. Taking cyclists OFF the roads means ADDING MORE cars onto the road, which will INCREASE congestion and travel times. For some reason, it seems this government cannot understand that fewer drivers and cars on the road = less traffic.

Additionally, bike lanes allow cyclists to travel on the roads safely and efficiently. Ripping up these bike lanes will make cycling unsafe and this comes at a time when 6 cyclists have already died on Toronto's roads in 2024 up from 1 death in 2023. Does this provincial government want to be responsible for MORE people dying on our roads?

Furthermore, the notion that bike lanes are "bad for business" is simply false. While some Etobicoke businesses along Bloor St. West state that bike lanes have resulted in fewer customers, the Bloor Annex BIA states that the bike lanes along Bloor have resulted in an INCREASE in the number of monthly customers served by the local businesses as well as an INCREASE in monthly spending. The BIA states that removing these bike lanes along Bloor "would be disastrous to the neighbourhood". Various studies from around the world have shown that bike lanes make streets safer and more complete, both of which are GOOD FOR BUSINESS. Moreover, there have been false claims from both the provincial government as well as businesses on Bloor St. West stating that the bike lanes have resulted in increased emergency response times. At a recent community meeting in Ward 3 - Etobicoke Lakeshore, the Toronto Fire Deputy Chief Jim Jessop CONFIRMED that fire services have NOT SEEN AN INCREASE in response times due to the bike lanes but rather "your response times have been improving". Having our elected officials lie about bike lanes causing longer emergency response times is dangerous.

Recently, Premier Ford INCORRECTLY stated how many people commute by bike. Despite more congestion within the city, in 2024 Bike Share Toronto continues to break daily ridership records and is on pace for over 6 million trips this year. This is a significant increase from its 2015 numbers of 665,000 trips. How will Toronto's roads handle 6 million MORE car trips when bike lanes are ripped out? It cannot.

Ironically, it was this provincial government in partnership with Metrolinx who built the bike lanes on Eglinton Ave that are NOW planned to be removed. Rather than focusing on removing bike lanes on Eglinton that have allowed thousands of people to actually travel along the road, there should be greater effort and focus to FINALLY open the long-delayed Eglinton Crosstown LRT. Building and then removing of bike lanes is financially irresponsible and a POOR use of people's tax dollars when this money should be used to solve the many other issues impacting Ontarians such as the collapsing healthcare system and housing crisis.

Why can't this government simply look at the FACTS and RESEARCH when proposing legislation rather than spewing false information to the public and wasting public tax dollars.