I'm a resident of Ontario…

I'm a resident of Ontario and a cyclist. I am writing to state my opposition to the Ontario government’s Bill 212 - Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, 2024, which is unsupported by evidence and ignores data-supported advice from planning experts, environmental advocates, and cycling groups.

Your Bill 212 - Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, 2024 will in fact make gridlock worse, will make our streets more dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians and more stressful for drivers, and will greatly harm the environment. According to the Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI), in their Statement on Bike Lanes from a Planning Perspective: “As registered professional planners, OPPI members work to support a variety of mobility options in planning communities. Bike lanes provide people with options, improve public health and safety, support economic activity, foster social interaction and community connectivity, improve air quality and mitigate climate change impacts. The proposed legislative changes will not reduce congestion, will increase risk to public safety, and move away from evidence-based practices. It is also counter to the 2024 Provincial Planning Statement, which includes several policies that support the use of bike lanes.”

Abundant research shows that expanding bike lanes and investing in sustainable infrastructure including a robust public transit system is a much more effective—and equitable—solution to reducing gridlock, improving public health, and cutting emissions. I do not want my tax dollars to be spent on destroying bike lanes that already exist, and I do not support legislation that will make it more difficult for municipalities to add new bike lanes in the future.