This proposal is a terrible…

This proposal is a terrible idea. Study after study has shown that building more lanes for cars only increases congestion, whereas bike lanes encourage people to take more sustainable forms of transit that take up far less space and thus ease congestion. It's a fallacy to suggest that the cause of traffic in the GTA is bike lanes.

If the government really wants to save Ontarians time and help us get around our cities more easily, it would be far better off to invest in MORE bike lanes or at the very last keep the ones we have. When there are more bike lanes, cycling becomes safer. When cycling is safer, more people do it. When more people do it, there are fewer cars on the road and everyone gets where they need to go faster and more safely.

The environmental and health benefits are icing on the cake.

Speaking personally, I am a hard-working youth worker living in midtown and working downtown. I ride in the Yonge Street, Bloor Street and Sherbourne Street bike lanes almost every day to get to work. Firstly: you're welcome because yes I am choosing a sustainable option for everyone's future. Secondly: these bike lanes make me feel safe in the city. Ripping out these bike lanes means it's far less feasible for me to continue making this good choice, and significantly increases the likelihood of me getting hurt while I'm on my way to work to support young Torontonians.

Pitting road users against each other is just playing to Ford's base. Is it good politics? Maybe. Is it a good transit, environmental or health policy? Absolutely not. This bill would be taking us backwards not forwards.