My family and I are very…

My family and I are very troubled by Bill 212, specifically as it relates to bicycle lanes. We are a family of five (including 2 adults, 2 kids and 1 disabled adult) who live near Bloor Street and we all use the Bloor bike path every single day. We were thrilled when it was built, and we will be utterly devastated if it is ripped out. Bloor is not a highway or a simple thoroughfare for commuters. It contains communities, businesses, and most importantly people. All along Bloor Street there are vibrant villages, full of shops and services used daily by many, including many cyclists. Everyone has the right to access these communities and services and to use these routes safely. I am deeply disturbed by the divisiveness of this bill. We are not anti-car. We also drive. But we choose to bike daily around the city because it is a healthy, environmentally friendly, and genuinely enjoyable mode of transport, when it is safe. In fact, contrary to this Bill’s suggestion, our choice to cycle reduces pollution and congestion in the city, as it is one less car on the road. If the government really cares about reducing congestion and creating a safe environment for all, they should focus on completing the public transit projects they are responsible for, not removing bike lanes. Let the city decide what is best for the city and its people. We are not going to stop cycling. And, forcing us and our children out into traffic will not improve congestion; it will only make our roads less safe for everyone. The manner in which the government is pitting cyclists and drivers against each other with this divisive rhetoric and this problematic legislation is deeply troubling, treating us wrongly as if we are enemies working at cross-purposes. It also makes us feel less safe already. For our family, we want to live in a safe, healthy, vibrant community, and not on a highway or in a parking lot. This means fostering safe transportation options for all, including bike lanes.