TLDR; by exempting highway…

TLDR; by exempting highway 413 from Environmental Assessment, schedule 3 risks the environmental health and community well-being of Ontario.
Schedule 4 moves transportation in the opposite direction of what is needed to reduce congestion and increase individual freedom and mobility by putting barriers in the way of more bicycle lanes.

A) Schedule 3, exempting Highway 413 and associated works from the Environmental Assessment Act, is a dangerous move that removes government accountability for environmental and community impacts.

Environmentally, the 85 waterways and 220 wetlands the highway would cut through could disrupt countless habitats and further stress already endangered species. The ecosystem services of water infiltration and drinking water will also be reduced and put at risk.

In terms of community impacts, I live right beside one of the sections of Highway 413 and know that - if it proceeds as intended - it would segregate the new neighbourhood of Heritage Heights from the rest of the city, turning from its intention to be a lively "town centre" to yet another disconnected suburban bedroom community. This division would render Heritage Heights unable to sustain the amenities that make for pleasant, accessible, and environmentally-conscious urban or suburban living.

B) Schedule 4, particularly the provisions requiring ministerial approval for bicycle lanes and initiating a review of existing bicycle lanes, is an ill-advised transportation management strategy.

First, prioritizing cars and car lanes will likely result in induced demand, cancelling out any reductions in congestion in short order.

Second, bicycles are simply a denser mode of transportation, allowing for (with sufficient infrastructure) a greater flow of individuals, contributing to an actual congestion solution.

Third, cyclist separation not only ensures their own safety, but allows those who choose to drive to do so without worry of minding passing and weaving cyclists.

Fourth, promoting cycling supports economic mobility due to its reduced cost of ownership and operation.

I, as an occasional cyclist, have often been dissuaded from cycling due to fragmented and dangerous bicycle lanes. The use of the University, Bloor, and College corridor bicycle lanes show that even slightly improved infrastructure can induce bicycle ridership. Putting more barriers in the way of bicycle lanes - and reviewing and removing existing ones - would shift more people back to cars, reduce mobility options, and have a negative impact on sustainability.