I grew up in Toronto, but…

I grew up in Toronto, but lived elsewhere for most of my adult life, including 5 years outside of Ontario. I moved back to Toronto in September 2023. People frequently ask me how the city has changed in the several years I was away. I commonly say "well, rent more than doubled, but at least the cycling infrastructure has significantly improved!" Cycling has been my primary mode of transportation in every city I've lived in, now including Toronto - much to my delight.

Doug Ford's campaign to remove the bike lanes along Bloor, Yonge, and University - and to require provincial review of all new bike lanes that require the removal of a lane of vehicular traffic - make me very concerned and angry! I am concerned for my safety and the safety of many in my community. I am concerned that this move represents provincial overreach into municipal authority. I am concerned that its intended outcome of easing congestion will not materialize - I and many other cyclists will remain cyclists, and we will continue cycling on the arterial roads that remain (in most cases) the only way to get from Point A to Point B with any efficiency. We will share the lanes with cars, increasing our risk and decreasing the speed of traffic. Further, and more importantly, as several other cities around the world demonstrate, creating effective transportation systems requires not more roads or lanes for drivers, but that more investment in public transit and cycling infrastructure so that there are simply fewer cars on the road! There is no common sense in this proposal.

I am angry that there is no long-term vision or strategy here - if these lanes are returned to vehicular traffic, what happens when they fill up? We can only build so many roads! Cars create traffic. Ever been to Los Angeles? Tons of highways and roads, and tons of traffic! Why are the Eglinton and Finch LRT projects still not finished? Why are we not building more GO transit stations and lines throughout the GTA to bring commuters into Toronto in ways that minimize congestion and pollution?

I am angry that this proposal will be a colossal waste of taxpayer money. I am angry at the hypocrisy of this government, which is so willing to spend money removing the safe bike lanes that enable me and thousands of others to efficiently navigate around the city on a daily basis - some of which were so recently completed, after ample studies and spending - while telling taxpayers how much they value our money. You do not value my money or my life.

This proposal unnecessarily politicizes cyclists' lives and keeps Toronto stuck in the past. If you're going to bring Toronto back to how it was when I last lived here in 2015, please cut rent in half and bring back rent control.