This letter is submitted on…

This letter is submitted on behalf of the Safe Travel Planning Committee at Woodroffe Avenue Public School in Ottawa, Ontario. The committee consists of a group of parents who strive a) to promote active modes of transportation (walking, cycling, etc.) for students and b) to work with the school community, other community members and City of Ottawa staff to make these modes of transportation as safe as possible for children and families. We strongly oppose Bill 212, which would enable provincial approval for new bike lanes on municipal roads requiring removal of a traffic lane and for existing ones, where a traffic lane was removed.

Our Safe Travel Planning Committee wishes to instill in our children a love of walking and cycling to school that will carry through to adolescence and adulthood. Active modes of transportation offer students physical health benefits and a sense of independence and community, as they allow students and families to connect with neighbours at a pace where human interaction is still possible. Moreover, they help reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with driving to school.

Our committee has documented concerns from many parents in our school community, who have expressed that they would love to have their kids walk or cycle to school independently. Unfortunately, they hold back due to concerns about road safety. One commonly requested solution is more protected bike lanes. In Ottawa as in the rest of Ontario, there is a need for more biking infrastructure, not less. The provincial government should be working with municipalities to find ways to promote cycling, rather than displaying an antagonistic attitude toward it. We are deeply concerned that, while cities worldwide are embracing opportunities for active transportation, our own municipalities face obstacles like Bill 212, which overlooks the compelling evidence of the benefits of biking for our community.

City of Ottawa staff are familiar with our neighbourhoods, streets and traffic patterns, and understand where bike lanes will serve to increase bike use and reduce gridlock, all while increasing safety for cyclists. They are best-placed to decide where bike lanes are needed and appropriate. We believe that Bill 212 is an inadequate and misguided approach to managing and approving the development of cycling infrastructure in Ontario municipalities. This legislation fails to address the critical needs of our communities and undermines the potential for safe and effective cycling solutions. We encourage you to reconsider Bill 212 and prioritize collaboration with municipalities to develop robust active transportation infrastructure. By working together, we can create safer, more efficient pathways that benefit our communities and promote sustainable mobility for all.

Thank you for considering our submission.