I am opposed to many of the…

I am opposed to many of the provisions in this bill and saddened by the political culture wars that are driving this. When you let hate out of pandora’s box, it is hard to reign it back in. That is what this bill is trying to do by pitting drivers against cyclists – I am both a driver and a commuter cyclist.

The road and bike lane components of this legislation are short-signed, fiscally irresponsible and politically driven. Had they been advanced decades ago, before we knew better, perhaps the government could be forgiven for being naïve. We are in 2024, however, and the evidence is ample that building more roads and car-centric infrastructure is not the “road” to reducing congestion and saving time.
Roads and highways are extremely expensive -- they cost the province hundreds of millions to build, operate and maintain. While adding roads improve congestion in the short-term, in the long term it makes it worse -- induced demand means those gains quickly disappear. If the province were serious about affordability, fiscal responsibility and saving people time, it would be investing to support the development of a connected and safe complete network to support alternative transportation (biking/rolling, walking and transit). In Toronto, something a “simple” as Bogota’s Bus Rapid Transit might even work on the 401 if one lane were devoted to high frequency buses ever 1 minute (but again, that should be a municipal decision but the province needs to support transit capital and operational funding). Also, rather than build the 413, the province should buy back the 407, which should never have been sold off in the first place. That would do more to help commuters than building another brand new highway.
This bill's provisions on bike lane are a massive over-reach into municipal jurisdiction -- something this government seems to want to do a lot (I think of housing, municipal boundaries etc.).
I am both a driver and a commuter cyclist. We only have one vehicle. When I don’t have our car, I depend on transit and my bike to get to work, pick up my child, do groceries, etc. Whenever I am in my car, when I see people on transit or cycling, I know that it means that these people are not in their cars contributing to congestion. If we didn’t have the measly bike infrastructure that does exist, I would never be able to bike. Even as it is now, I am often terrified when I go out because our bike network is sub-par --- painted lines on high-speed roads, lanes that suddenly disappear or spit you into traffic etc. But these are municipal problems, and the municipalities are working to develop better bike lanes (and area where provincial leadership would be valued is to improve the standards and regulations for bike lanes and infrastructure so that unsafe bike lanes are not built). I have had many close calls, even when I am towing a kid behind me. We need safe bike infrastructure.
I also want my kid to be able to bike around to get where he needs to go – school, friends, activities, etc. He won’t drive until he is 16, but bikes offer kids freedom. Bike lanes are also used by people who “roll” and use wheelchairs.
I implore the Minister and Government officials to take a few trips to some world class cities that have achieved miracles with better alternative transportation infrastructure. Please use our tax dollars to visit Cophenhagen, Amsterdam, even Bogota – and here in Canada Vancouver and Montreal. See that there are alternatives to the 1950s model of car-centric tall and sprawl that got us into this predicament in the first place. They will see that the answers are NOT building more expensive and expansive highways, but offering a range of possibilities. I may add that this also ties into the housing crisis, but the current government seems determined to continue expanding sprawl. It also links to our healthcare and obesity crisis.
In sum, I beg you to NOT move forward with the provisions in this bill around bike lanes. It is a terrible idea, it is provincial over-reach, and it is politically motivated. I recognize there is little hope anything will change because our decision makers seem motivated by politics and to stoke culture wars and foment division and hatred between various groups, when these groups are not so clear-cut (many, many people are cyclists, transit users and drivers). We already have so many things in our society that don't work and so much hate and animosity, we don't need our politicians fueling the flames more with non-evidenced based bills and political hate mongering.
I want to be able to get around quickly, safely and efficiently, and connected and safe bike networks and transit are ultimately how that will be achieved. It will provide alternatives to some – taking them OFF the roads, and then those who wish to remain in their cars will be able to do so and will have less congestion.