I strongly oppose Bill 212,…

I strongly oppose Bill 212, not on the basis of politics, but on the basis of facts supported by decades of established transportation policy research. This research has repeatedly shown that cars and trucks cause traffic congestion, not bike lanes. Widening roads to accommodate personal vehicles will only encourage more people to drive and cause more congestion. Notice that Highway 401 as it passes through Toronto contains 16 lanes with no bike lanes or pedestrians, yet is often gridlocked. More lanes are clearly not a solution to our traffic challenges.

The correct solution is to invest and improve infrastructure, such as separated bike lanes, effective public transit, pedestrianization, wider sidewalks, congestion fees, and other measures that have proven highly effective in cities around the world. These solutions enable residents to move around the city without a personal vehicle, in a way that is pleasant, safe, efficient, and dignified. By providing these proper alternatives, we can ensure that the roads are less congested for those who truly need to drive, such as delivery and emergency vehicles.

It is both unfair and ineffective to punish cyclists and pedestrians, the most vulnerable of road users, by legislating the prioritization of motor vehicles in a way that ensures a more dangerous street realm. Six cyclists have died in Toronto in 2024 so far. Just this weekend in the GTA, a 94-year-old pedestrian and a baby in a stroller were struck by drivers. These people were not radicals or activists, but merely regular Torontonians attempting to go about their day. Even though I do not cycle myself, I traverse the city regularly as a pedestrian and I know how dangerous it can be because of aggressive and speeding vehicle drivers. Bike lanes such as those on Bloor Street provide a buffer between vehicle lanes and sidewalks, making the public realm safer for all users.

Toronto is the largest city in Canada, with a much higher population density than many other parts of the province. This means Toronto needs full autonomy to implement traffic infrastructure and policy solutions that make sense for the city and its residents. Many Toronto residents have made financial and other sacrifices to live in Toronto because we prefer a dense city of neighbourhoods, and we do not want to live a car-dependent lifestyle. We make these choices for personal reasons, yes, but these choices also have wider benefits by helping to reduce traffic congestion and climate pollution for everyone. These lifestyle choices should be encouraged, not demonized and scapegoated.

Torontonians have also exercised our democratic right to vote for municipal representatives who support these same aims. It is therefore infuriating and unfair to have an external government override our choices and force a mindset more suited to rural and suburban areas onto dense urban streets, disempowering our elected municipal representatives and making our lives less pleasant and more dangerous in the process.

Bill 212 is not about finding an effective solution to Toronto’s gridlock, it is about cynical politics. We can do much better.