Dear policymakers of Ontario…

Dear policymakers of Ontario,

I OPPOSE this bill.

I commute downtown by bike everyday from High Park. This involves crossing the Kitchener/Union Pearson rail lines where there are limited underpasses. How will this bill ensure that cyclists are offered safe passage across this bottleneck? I say safe passage because a physical barrier is needed to protect vulnerable road users from heavy and fast moving vehicles that unfortunately claim the lives of very real people each and every year.

I am a driver too. Yes, I drive a car when I see fit. But I don’t need to drive all the time, nor do I want to. This is not about pitting cyclists against drivers in a « war on cars ». It is to underscore that many people, including myself, wear both hats and simply ask for the freedom to choose the most practical mode of travel for any given trip.

This policy is regressive and appeals to pathos. It is disappointing to see loss of transportation optionality. As density in our cities increases, we must collectively reconsider our common use cases for cars. Can a transportation option for a maximum of a handful of people (I’m being generous here given the number of single occupancy vehicles on the road) get any more space inefficient than a studio apartment on wheels? Should we even enable more space inefficient vehicles to enter our downtown core where real estate is the most valuable resource?

Torontonians voted for options in how they move around the city. Please allow them to maintain this autonomy over their built environment. The province has bigger priorities.

I am 22 and this bill antagonizes my cohort. I urge this government to reverse course and to place itself on the right side of history. As Richard Florida used to tell us in class, « People vote with their feet »… these decisions have repercussions for the day-to-day lives of everyday citizens.

Regardless of my plea for consideration, at the very least please collect and analyze the data on cycling infrastructure utilization. I urge you to govern accordingly and to consider the effects of induced demand. I am an optimist at heart but my hope for the future governance of my city is at risk.

Thank you,
A disillusioned young Ontarian