I disapprove of the Ontario…

I disapprove of the Ontario Governments overreach into Municipal affairs that will waste tax payers money and reduce the safety of many residents who prefer alternative modes of transportation. I disapprove of the removal of bicycle infrastructure and disapprove that their removal will be exempt from environmental assessments. This Act (and act) is more about appealing to voters that drive automobiles into major cities from outlying areas of suburban sprawl than it is about improving the mobility of people in cities. If the Government was serious about improving the mobility of people in high population regions there would be large scale investments into public transit that would reduce the source of congestion on roads and highways, automobiles.

The Government of Ontario's claim that automobile traffic congestion is caused by the inclusion of bicycle infrastructure is flawed.

1) Transportation Minister stated in reference to Toronto, "We know that these bike lanes, where only 1.2 per cent of people use to commute to get to work, are taking away almost 50 per cent of the infrastructure on those streets from vehicles"

First, the statement is disingenuous. Bicycle lanes are not solely used by commuters, they are used by all types of bicycle users. Moreover, the 1.2 per cent figure was obtained from a 2011 census prior to the installation of any meaningful bicycle infrastructure. Those surveyed included regions as far north as Lake Simcoe, east to Ajax and West to Burlington. As a citizen who has bicycled in those areas, I deem it unsafe for bicycle use and am not surprised by low bicycle trips of any kind. A majority of bicycle infrastructure in Toronto was constructed between 2016 and 2021. A 2019 study of Torontonians (not surrounding area) found that 70% of respondents use a bicycle for some function whether commuting, recreational, or other travelling needs. The same 2019 study found the number of bicycle users in Toronto has been steadily increasing and that people are more likely to bicycle when infrastructure permits them to do so safely.

2011 Census
https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/as-sa/99-012-x/2011003/tbl/tbl…
2019 City of Toronto Cycling Study
https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/8f76-2019-Cycling-Pub…

2) Argument put forth by current Government of Ontario: more automobile lanes will reduce traffic congestion.

All traffic flow studies indicate the addition of lanes provides only temporary relief to traffic congestion on the timescale of 2-5 years. The added lane invites more single occupant automobiles and the inevitable congestion that was present before the lane was added. It is the principle of induced demand. Even the Governments own research shows that the addition of Highway 413 will have no net benefit on traffic flow by 2041. Research shows that the only solution to traffic congestion is to reduce the number of automobiles by providing other means of transport on major roads that connect all public infrastructure users to the places they are travelling. Automobile centric designs will only add to congestion, not relieve it.

Highway 413, no net benefit by 2041
https://www.thetrillium.ca/news/municipalities-transit-and-infrastructu…