I am completely opposed to…

I am completely opposed to Bill 212.

I live in downtown Toronto. While I take transit to work (which is near the airport) I use my bike very frequently for both errands and activities in the immediate neighbourhood and downtown. I feel safe and confident knowing that I can use bike lanes to do so, and would feel very reluctant to use my bike if the lanes weren't there. I live close to Bloor St and Dufferin, and both in the morning and evening rush hour see a constant stream of cyclists on the bike paths who are presumably going to work and school. Using my bike frequently means one less car on the road. If everyone who normally biked began driving a car instead, traffic congestion would increase.

I also live near where Alexis Amaro, a young woman, was killed while riding her bike on Dufferin street. She could have been protected by a bike lane. I am concerned that if bike lanes are removed, there will be more deaths of cyclists.

Bike lanes are being blamed for traffic congestion when other factors are also at play: the Eglinton subway line has not been opened; construction projects block traffic; Uber and Lyft drivers must be on the road to get clients - while there was a cap put on the number of drivers, should there be a further cap on ride share vehicles?

For commuters who drive from suburbs to downtown Toronto like the Minister of Transportation, public transit options are available and could be made more available.

The removal of bike lanes will cost a great deal and is a waste of money that could be better spent on other provincial responsibilities like education and health care, and improving the public transit system in Toronto.

The province removing bike lanes in Toronto is jurisdictional overreach.

We are in a climate crisis. More should be done to reduce emissions. Improving the bike lane infrastructure and public transit will encourage less car use, improve air quality, and reduce emissions.