Removing these critical…

Removing these critical cycling lanes will have a direct and serious impact on my family’s safety. We live in Harbord Village, and our children attend Ecole Elementaire Gabrielle Roy in the Garden District. Each day, we rely on the Harbord/Hoskin cycle track, which connects to the University lane and then continues east on the Gerrard Lane. This network of lanes lets us travel across the city safely and efficiently, keeping us away from high-risk areas like Bay Street, where speeding and unsafe passing are common hazards for cyclists. In essence, these cycle tracks act as the “seatbelts” for urban cyclists, providing essential protection and structure in a busy urban environment. Removing them would strip away these protections and expose my family, and many others, to needless danger.

This proposal also overlooks the widespread benefits these lanes provide to the local economy. Many Toronto restaurants and food businesses rely on online delivery platforms to sustain their operations. The cyclists who deliver for these platforms depend on the cycle tracks to navigate the city safely and efficiently. Without these lanes, delivery times may slow, safety risks will increase, and businesses may face declines in service efficiency, negatively impacting both local commerce and customer satisfaction. For a province that purports to pride itself on supporting small businesses and vibrant neighbourhoods, removing this infrastructure is counterproductive and risks undermining local economic growth.

As a car owner, I use my vehicle for some trips and have observed no impact on my drive times due to these cycle tracks. In fact, by offering an alternative for cyclists, these lanes actually help to reduce congestion on the roads, creating a more harmonious balance among all road users.

The proposed regulations lack a rational connection to the stated policy objectives. They not only compromise the safety of cyclists but also overlook the economic value that cycle tracks add to local businesses. Removing this critical infrastructure is an anti-safety and anti-business measure that risks reversing years of progress in creating a safer, more accessible, and more economically vibrant city for all residents.