Conservatives have made…

Conservatives have made false claims about bicycle lanes: They state that the installation of bicycle lanes used data collected during COVID-19. The lanes were installed during and after the shutdowns, but the data to justify them was collected from the years before. The data was collected in the "Before Times". Therefore the data reflect normal city traffic. The bike lanes are justified with good, accurate data.

The Conservative Party of Ontario claims that winter is an impediment to cycling. First, if the Premier can shirk his duties by riding a snowmobile in March when Ontario cities, Windsor, Toronto and Ottawa were besieged by anti-science anti-vaxxers, then anyone in Ontario can bike in winter. You get a coat, mittens, boots and you can survive winter. Just as you would if you were to catch the bus or walk the dog. Ontarians ski, snowboard, play hockey, sled, build snowmen, attend outdoor festivals in the winter. Winter activities are not only possible, but are celebrated in Canada.

Conversely, cars struggle in the winter too. Again, when the Premier called into CP24 while using his phone in January 2022 -- flouting the distracted driving laws -- he claimed to be digging trapped drivers out of the snow. Cars were trapped in the snow. Driving is possible because municipalities have plows, salt trucks and snow removal. Give the same capital to cyclists, we could cycle during the cold winters.

The streets are crowded because a car, with a 200 sq.ft. footprint carries one person on average. In comparison, a bicycle takes up a tenth the space, and weights 1% a car. By increasing use of bicycles, you remove bulky, space- and energy-inefficient motor vehicles, giving more room to necessary transportation of goods and services. Also we create a healthier population, saving on healthcare. Budget savings everywhere for the tax payer. Ontarians would also save money, by reducing car-ownership, insurance rates, maintenance costs. More money in our pockets would boost the economy, not hurt it.

Cities across Canada, North America and the world are independently making planning decisions to move away from car-dependency towards alternative transportation methods, public transit and active movement. This government is bucking the global trend. Vancouver, Edmonton, Montreal, New York, Paris are all wrong, but somehow, a bunch of MPPs without planning or consultation experience know better than everyone else in the world? How arrogant! This government fouled up their gas-pump stickers and license plates! A group of elected officials, who in the mandate letters agreed to forgo planning and assessment are asking others to prove success, but when the federal government asked them for similar proof, they can not produce any for themselves. Hypocrisy!

In the past months, the news has been littered with pieces about automobiles killing pedestrians, driving through homes and schools, and vehicular assaults on the police. This government needs to realize that cars are dangerous. What kills businesses more: a 3 tonnes crashing through a shop window? or a shopper on a cruiser bike?