I am writing to express my…

I am writing to express my fervent opposition to the proposed Bill 212 that would seek to remove and restrict bike lanes across Toronto. It is my belief that this legislation would only serve to increase undue provincial red tape and bureaucracy, harm essential transportation infrastructure, reduce the safety of everyone in our city, and waste taxpayer money on eliminating working infrastructure.

1. Red tape and bureaucracy: The provincial government shouldn't be wasting it's time and resources in adding more red tape and bureaucracy to slow down local governments trying to increase transportation options. Bike lanes in Toronto are overwhelmingly popular and were a large factor in our mayoral race. The provincial government forcing the removal of bike lanes and making it more odious and difficult to build more is not only wasteful but undemocratic.

2. Harm essential transportation infrastructure: I bike to work from downtown Toronto to the East-end along the bike lanes that Bill 212 would eliminate almost every day. It is an essential part of my commute and takes pressure off of our already overcrowded roads and public transport. Eliminating these options would force me to take the already crowded TTC or drive through the heavily congested streets. Turning bikers into cars would do nothing to reduce travel times, instead it would likely actually increase gridlock and congestion in the city. Research on travel times within the city has shown how removing options like bike lanes only contribute to more congestion. not only is this proposal undemocratic, it is completely baseless and not supported by science.

3: Safety: Removing bike lanes would only decrease the safety in the city. One of the big reasons bike lanes have been pushed was in direct response to the deaths of cyclists in the city. Removing them seem only to signal that the Ford government has no care for the lives of his constituents. Bike lanes provide more safety to the city not just by protecting cyclists, but also drivers. Cars are much more likely to get into more serious accidents if they don't notice or have to avoid bikers on the streets as opposed to in their own designated lanes, and pedestrians are safer when there are less cars in the city. As a cyclist I've been hit by cars and broken bones due to bad drivers and insufficient bike lanes and the proposed bill would only increase the risk to people like me. Increasing, not eliminating, bike lanes in the city leads to a better city for cars, bikers, and pedestrians alike. The Ford governments proposal to eliminate them seem to show a callousness for the lives of the people in Toronto if it would mean a couple seconds shaved off his commute.

4. Waste taxpayer money: Much of the bike lanes that are in Toronto would have to be ripped out based on the proposed bill. This is popular, working infrastructure that would have to be removed for no good reason. Removing bike lanes would cost taxpayers money, and increase travel times in the city while construction is taking place, all to remove infrastructure that is already present and popular in the city. I don't want the province wasting my money on spiteful projects that directly harm me!

I want to see more bike lanes built, not less! I want to see it become easier to build them around the city, not harder! I want the decision about transportation infrastructure to be decided by the people in Toronto, not the province of Ontario!