Government policy should be…

Government policy should be based on evidence. To date, no evidence has been provided, referenced, or published which supports the Ontario Government’s assertion that bike lanes are the cause of traffic congestion.

Traffic congestion is caused by many factors; alternative modes of transportation (e.g., bikes) are not one of those factors. Over-reliance on vehicles, a lack of transit alternatives, and road repair work all contribute. It is relevant to note that Toronto, specifically, is currently in the midst of a huge amount of road infrastructure repair work construction after a decade of municipal and provincial government spending cuts to large infrastructure projects. Road and infrastructure construction, while necessary, contributes to congestion.

If the province truly wished to reduce the traffic congestion facing Toronto and the GTA, we would see an investment in public transit infrastructure including completing the Eglinton LTR (currently in its 15th year of construction), the Ontario Line and other long-running TTC projects, enhancing Go Transit infrastructure, and, yes, creating a safe physical space for cyclists. The more alternative transit options that exist, the fewer cars on the road and the less traffic congestion. This is common-sense.

Should the Ontario Government choose to move forward, the unnecessary construction, road closures, and lane reductions required to remove the already built (and paid for) bike lanes will cause further congestion. The estimated 48-million-dollar price tag for the removal of bike lanes would be far better spent on our defunded health and public education systems.

This proposal also creates a worrying precedent for provincial overstep into municipal matters. It is not the role of the provincial government to micromanage the zoning considerations of the municipality. Especially when this province is being faced with far more important issues.

It appears as though the Ontario Government has based their policy decision on the feelings of wealthy donors and business interests, personal preferences of the elected officials, and personal/political grudges against the province’s most populous city.

At best, this proposal is rushed, short-sighted, and poorly researched. At worst, it is a blatant attempt by the Provincial Government to encroach on the municipal responsibilities and distract the Ontario public from the land expropriation sections of Bill 212, which would have a far greater impact on those outside of Toronto (coincidentally, the voter base of the current government).