Ontario needs bike lanes for…

Ontario needs bike lanes for its economy to grow.

It has been repeatedly shown that improving bike infrastructure improves the local economy and vibrancy of a location. People using bikes stop more frequently to shop, meaning they are partaking in local businesses rather than buying. This means local neighbourhoods can support more stores, meaning more businesses are able to flourish and grow. This includes important neighbourhood services like grocery stores and hardware stores, but also restaurants and cafes which in turn improve the vibrancy of the location. By removing or restricting bike lanes, we create "drive-through" neighbourhoods which discourage local businesses and spending.

Vibrant neighbourhoods are not only good for the local economies, but also create interest among visitors, including those visiting from other cities, provinces and countries. By creating vibrant spaces in Ontario towns and cities, we therefore tap into an important economic boost.

I live in Toronto near a newly installed bike lane that has changed my local neighbourhood for the better. As a pedestrian, I feel safer in walking on and crossing the road. The neighbourhood businesses, which do want the bike lanes, have enjoyed better sales than comparable non-bike friendly areas in Toronto. I see them in heavy use, and enjoyed by all kinds of people of all ages--some are riding to work, some are riding for fun, some are riding to school with their kids. They feel safer and there is a clear uptick in usage which will boost the local neighbourhood even more. The area feels vibrant and healthy.

I see this mode of transport as a key part of Ontario's future, and look forward to different types of transport being available at different times for different users in different contexts. If we can reduce one or two car trips per person per week on average, that will make an enormous difference to traffic in cities where car travel times are only increasing year over year, plus reduce pollution and save energy use--both often crucial considerations for many people who decide to walk or cycle on a given trip.

Bike lanes will seem under-used prior to them being completed. "Completed" means networks have to be continuous and safe along key routes and between key locations. An incomplete bike lane can be compared to a road missing a bridge and perhaps offering vehicles a chance of fording a river. Of course, most users without a safe crossing method will not choose this route. Arguments based on use data collected from incomplete networks are invalid and I hope that decision-makers will not consider use-data from incomplete or not-fit-for-purpose routes as evidence.

Lastly, every day I walk by memorials representing individuals who have died on Toronto roads near me. In my years in Toronto, I have had friends injured by car collisions, and friends who are now gone due to a failure to create road infrastructure that is safe for all users. I was therefore extremely glad and relieved to see the bike lanes installed, as I hope they will help save the lives of Ontarians who are riding to work, school, or the store.

Bike infrastructure is about lives, movement, environment and the economy. All four are positives, and I hope that in a future Ontario we can have vibrant, safe neighbourhoods in which all people move freely about in ways that's appropriate for them and their trip.