There is so much I feel is a…

There is so much I feel is a step backwards with how the government is approaching this bill so I am going to have to approach it in bullet points working my way through the proposal.

New highways aren't the answer to getting people and goods out of gridlock. Especially when there is an almost entirely empty highway sitting there that could be better utilized today.

Accidents won't be relieved with more highways. They actually just add to more places accidents could happen, and more, faster traffic to cause more accidents.

Broadband projects is a plus, we do need more reliable internet. Accessing more communities with reliable internet can also open up more work from home options, which will help reduce congestion.

Highway 413 is not needed as the 407 is already available. It will only open up more valuable green land to be paved over.

Expediting these projects is wrong, especially when it goes against legislature that has been previously enacted for a reason. Safety is one factor here that is going to be overlooked. The environment is another and arguably one of the most important. Once these environmental lands are gone, we can not go back and return them to how they were if we realize we were wrong. Proper consultation needs to be done and accepted if it says these projects should not go forward or should be modified. If the government just bulldozes ahead with these pet projects without a care for the environment they are sending a message that they don't care about the future of Ontarians. The fact that the proposed bill only really mentions environmental protection at the end comes across like a footnote. The fact it mainly seems to mention environmental impacts in regards to disturbances to local residents with noise is especially concerning.
The rights of the people of Ontario must also be retained. There is a reason the laws allow for appeals to judges regarding expropriation of land. Those laws must remain intact. The highways will not be built over night. Landowners must be allowed the time to have their voices heard if their land is going to be taken.

The federal government has just announced plans for a highspeed train to run essentially through most of this gridlock. The provincial government can do so much more to ease gridlock, while paving over far less land by expanding upon this. Put in more train lines, expand the usage of public transit, encourage more work from home options. These are all better ways to reduce gridlock while also preserving our future.