I believe Bill 212 will be…

I believe Bill 212 will be harmful for the residents of Toronto, and not fulfil its aim of reducing gridlock. Adding bike lanes induces demand and results in more people cycling to work, therefore reducing the number of people driving to work and reducing the number of cars on the road and easing gridlock. We know that the increase in cycling infrastructure is followed by more people commuting by bike. A 2019 study on cycling by the City of Toronto found that in 2009 29% of Toronto residents used a bike as a means of commuting, and in 2019 44% of residents used a bike to commute. We also know that when people are not commuting by bike, they are most likely commuting by car. The same 2019 study asked cyclists how they commute when they are not riding their bike, and 43.9% of them said they drove alone to their destination. Removing bike lanes will therefore encourage more people to drive and fewer people to cycle, increasing gridlock and traffic. This also leads to the release of more greenhouse gases and is worse for the environment.

Bill 212 will also be dangerous for residents of Toronto. Cyclists will be forced to ride more among cars, and are unlikely to change their established commuting routes, and this will inevitably lead to more collisions and injuries for cyclists. Pedestrians will be less protected from cars and more at risk of injuries from collisions with cars.

The implementation of Bill 212 is also an egregious overstep of provincial powers. The majority of Toronto residents are against Bill 212, are in favour of bike infrastructure, and utilise the bike lanes in the city, yet the province is proposing to make its own decision about Toronto's roads and forcing Toronto to financially contribute to the removal of bike lanes they fundamentally want to keep. Cycling is also a highly localised form of transportation which occurs mainly within city limits, and is outside the scope of provincial politics.

Finally, cyclists are people with families and friends and children who want them to be able to safely get to work. This bill puts cyclists in harms way in pursuit of aims it will not achieve. As a Toronto resident I strongly oppose this bill and what it will do to our city.