I strongly oppose Bill 212. …

I strongly oppose Bill 212.

It is an overreach of provincial powers. The province should not be wasting time and resources introducing new bureaucratic red tape that micromanages municipalities.

The idea that removing bikes lanes will improve gridlock is not grounded in evidence. Allowing more cars doesn’t reduce gridlock; increasing public transit and bike infrastructure is shown to improve congestion in cities. The Premier is knowingly choosing to put the lives of Ontarians at risk by choosing to make cycling more dangerous. Removing existing bike infrastructure that cities have spent extensive time planning and constructing is also a gross waste of tax dollars.

On the topic of exempting 413 lands from environmental assessments, this is a short-sighted policy that will result in disastrous outcomes for the environment. The area where the highway is intended to be built is environmentally sensitive land. Once paved over, that land is lost as a carbon sink, a natural habitat for native flora and tauna, and as a floodplain/natural flood control measure-forever. The proposal that this highway should be exempted from any environmental assessment to expedite development suggests the government doesn't care about the environment and is not serious about eliminating gridlock but instead cares more about the interests of developers and not the interests of Ontarians.