As a Toronto resident, I am…

As a Toronto resident, I am deeply frustrated and disappointed by the Ontario government's proposal to not only remove specific bike lanes from key arterial roads in Toronto, but to legislate provincial authority over municipal city planning.

For many, car ownership is out of the financial reach while municipal public transit (ie. TTC) are decades behind in terms of infrastructure and service making it increasingly unreliable. Cycling offers many a quick mode of transportation for commuting, as well as non-work related trips. It's important to note that removing bike lanes does not equate to eliminating cyclists - people will continue to cycle regardless of whether there are bike lanes or not. Without bike lane infrastructure, cyclists will simply be forced into unsafe circumstances, utilize the same lanes as motor vehicles. One only has to look at history to understand the consequences of not having dedicated bike lanes, especially on busy arterial roads. Should the Ontario government be so headstrong in dictating municipal city planning, then they, as a governing entity, have a duty to ensure safety of those in the city. In fact, I believe we should be investing in more bike lanes to create a continuous and safe network that encourages more individuals to cycle the same way that dediated wide, continuous sidewalks encourage those to walk. Anecdotally as a driver myself in Toronto, I prefer having bike lanes. It helps me feel safer and more confident having clear delineations on the road.

Moreover, introducing more lanes for motor vehicles does not guarantee, let alone predictably estimate, less traffic congestion. In fact, introducing more lanes for vehicle traffic induces more demand for driving which leads to greater congestion. Even prior to the dedicated bike lanes on Bloor, Yonge and University, congestion was significant meaning that bike lanes are not the cause for congestion. Ironically, the city has seen increased travel times by car and greater congestion on roads and in parts of the city where there are no existing bike lanes, again pointing to the fact that congestion is not a direct by-product of the existance of bike lanes. Cars inherently is one of the least efficient modes of transportation in terms of the number of individuals moved per distance and space. By that logic, the Ontario government be concerned with moving more people over greater distances with less space. Yet, there is no motion to remove street parking on these busy arterial roads which would achieve the goal of alleviating congestion without removing bike lanes.

Additionally, the part of the proposal that calls for provincial review and approval of future bike lanes is going to be adding more red tape and bureaucracy to cities and systems that desperately need less. Increased administrative red tape holds cities back from accelerated growth and innovation, which is a particular problem for a fast growing city that is struggling to meet the needs of its population. Less bureaocratic restrictions would speed up much needed progress in our cities and prepare better for future growth. Increased government overreach from the provincial level is not the answer.

The cost of removing bike lanes that the city of Toronto has already invested in while other public provincial services in healthcare and education continue to see cuts and neglect is truly a slap in the face to all Ontarians. I implore the Ontario government to prioritize our deteriorating public services over the micromanagement of Canada's largest city. Larger, more prominent cities around the world (ie. NYC, Paris, London) demonstrate that bike lanes are an important piece of the urban fabric, moves people and makes our cities vibrant. They are a clear example that investment into public infrastructure and transit (including bike lanes) are not hindrances to the health and flourishment of a city.

Thank you.