I for one am not in support…

I for one am not in support of the proposals outlined within this bill; especially the proposals focused on reducing or removing bike lanes in the City of Toronto. Firstly, the provincial government should not be adding additional red tape and bureaucracy that would slow down local municipal government’s ability to provide transportation options to their constituents; especially if it is truly a conservative government that aims to reduce government spending. Secondly, as someone who lives in the suburbs of the GTA but works in the core of the City of Toronto, I value the transportation options that are available to me including using my bike or rental bikes on bike lanes to bypass automotive traffic when downtown in the city’s core. I consider the bike lanes as essential transportation infrastructure—like sidewalks—that I and thousands of others need to work and live in the city. Thirdly, dedicated bike lanes provide a basic standard of safety for vulnerable road users like children who using bikes to get to and from school in the city, instead of just maximizing the number of cars using the road. Fourthly, having dedicated bike lanes simplifies my own driving experience when I choose to drive in the city. This infrastructure makes it clear for me as a driver where I should be and where cyclists should be; making it safer for myself and them by reducing the risk of collision where otherwise we might be in closer proximity on the road. Fifthly, bike lanes support transit usage by making it easier for me and thousands of others to get to transit stations on days where I am not inclined to drive into the city. Lastly, it is well researched that when you build car infrastructure, car usage increases to match capacity; this results in a net zero change in terms of motor vehicle traffic reduction; i.e., there will still be gridlock. Similarly, if cycling infrastructure is built it will incentivize usage; however, it will ultimately reduce the number of cars on the road as people who would otherwise drive and cause motor vehicle congestion would start to use bikes. In conclusion, should these proposals be passed into law and come into effect, it is my view that progress in regards to transportation options and infrastructure will be not only reduced but reverted back by a decade in the province of Ontario. These proposals ultimately reduce the transportation choices citizens have, depriving us of alternate means for moving around the city.