I am commenting specifically…

I am commenting specifically on Schedule 4: Highway Traffic Act of this Bill. The proposal in this Bill for the Ministry of Transportation to override municipal decisions to construct vital cycling infrastructure that responds to the priorities and needs of their constituents puts the lives of cyclists in danger. Importantly, the intention of the Highway Traffic Act is to reduce gridlock in Ontario, particularly the GTA, but the data in Toronto does not support that the removal of bike lanes would achieve this. Premier Ford and Members of Provincial Parliament, I urge you reconsider Schedule 4: Highway Traffic Act of Bill 212.

The safety of cyclists and human life must be valued over a marginally faster commute by this government. Bike lanes on busy arterial roads like Bloor, Yonge, and University in Toronto are necessary to protect cyclists. There will be cyclists on these roads whether there are bike lanes or not, but bike lanes with barriers separating cyclists from motor vehicles provides a necessary layer of protection for cyclists. Even though there will be cyclists on these roads without bike lanes, there will and have been far more once bike lanes were installed. This mitigates an excess of vehicular traffic as more people feel comfortable cycling to work rather than taking cars. Furthermore, there are large-scale efficient transit routes along Bloor, Yonge, and University, so there is little reason for a mass of single-occupancy cars to be driving along these routes rather than taking transit. Research has shown that when you invest in and expand one type of infrastructure, then more people will use that infrastructure. In other words, if you build more lanes of traffic then more people will drive, if you build more bike lanes then more people will cycle, and if you build more public transit then more people will take public transit. If this government invested in bike lanes and public transit (like finally getting the Eglinton Crosstown LRT completed after 14 years of construction!) then perhaps some of the gridlock experienced in the GTA could be eased by now.

This Act’s complete disregard for human life is concerning. As someone who cycles as a mode of transportation to get to work, community recreation programs, do groceries, etc., the addition of bike lanes on the west part of Bloor in particular have been game changing for me. Before the bike lanes on the west part of Bloor were installed, I worked a job where I would sometimes have to work early mornings, meaning that I would bike to work in the dark. One morning, I was unlocking a bike from the public bike share docks, and a car slammed into a parked car only about 25 metres up the street from where I was. If I had left just slightly earlier that could have very well could have been me getting hit since there were no barriers separating cars and cyclists like there are now. Additionally, as someone who also drives on occasion, I feel much better with the bike lanes installed since I don’t have to worry about safely passing cyclists and finding opportunities to get into left lane. I believe bike lanes make the roads safer for cyclists and drivers alike. Beyond safety, cycling is a great way to take personal responsibility for reducing one’s carbon footprint, contributing to making Ontario greener and hitting carbon emission targets.

Finally, I am concerned about what this overreach of power means for municipalities and the precedent it sets. The purpose of municipal governance is to respond to the unique local needs of the community. Toronto residents elected this council to do exactly that, and they have done their best to do so. If Torontonians wanted more lanes for vehicular traffic, then we would have elected a council that would do that. This Act feels like a political move from Premier Ford who is using the lives of Torontonians as pawns to appease his suburban voter base in the GTA while knowing full well that the data shows his plan will not achieve its intended goal of reducing gridlock.

I once again urge you to reconsider Bill 212. Removing crucial bike lanes in Toronto will not ease congestion, but it will put the lives of cyclists at risk and prevent municipalities from responding to local needs and priorities.