As a lifelong cyclist, I…

As a lifelong cyclist, I urge the Government of Ontario to refrain from limiting municipalities’ power to install safe cycling infrastructure. Instead, the province should work with municipalities to expand safe infrastructure for cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers.

I live in the west end of Toronto and have been cycling in this city since the 1980s. The Bloor bike lane has had a transformative impact on my commute to and from work. Before it was installed, I used to worry that I wouldn’t make it home to my family at the end of the day, especially in the fall and winter when it’s dark at the end of the workday. When my kids started riding to and from school on their own, I worried for their safety. Now, with the bike lane on Bloor, everyone can travel safely and smoothly. Biking allows me to stay fit and helps me reduce my impact on climate change.

Every time I bike along Bloor, as I did today, I feel proud of the progress Toronto has made. Thanks to bike lanes, our city is more inclusive and people have more options for getting around safely. There are so many more people cycling now than there were decades ago when it was more dangerous.

When I drive, I choose routes with bike lanes too. They make traffic flow more predictable and cyclists more visible, keeping everyone safer and reducing the stress of my commute. For example Harbord St, with one of the city’s oldest bike lanes, is also one of the quickest driving routes across the west end.

Bike lanes are better for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians - and they are better for the environment. They save cyclists’ lives, and also improve air quality which reduces the rate of many serious health conditions and premature deaths.

There is no justification for this proposed plan to reduce future bike lanes and remove the ones already in place. Ontario should move forward, not backward.