The Province of Ontario…

The Province of Ontario should not move forward with this legislation for the following reasons:

1) Businesses where bike lanes have been created have seen an increase in revenue. Less parking spots does not mean less patrons. In fact, it's the opposite. When you take away bike lanes you take away the opportunity for people to use different modes of transit to visit an area and experience neighbourhoods. Studies have shown that bike lanes increase profits of businesses significantly. A New York City study found that following the construction of a bike lane on 9th Avenue, local businesses saw an increase in retail sales of up to 49 per cent, compared to a three per cent increase in the rest of Manhattan. Similar impacts occurred when this was studied in other cities like Salt Lake City and San Francisco. There was a broader evaluation of bike lanes in NYC conducted by municipal officials that indicated that streets with protected bike lanes experienced retail sales spike by up to 24 per cent compared to streets without protected lanes.

2) By removing bike lanes you increase rates of collisions, injuries, hospitalizations, and deaths. Bike lanes save lives. Having a separate lane on a major road allows for smoother flow of traffic and clearer sightlines for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. It becomes more organized, which makes it smoother, which makes it safer.

3) Adding more car lanes has shown to only increase congestion. Traffic becomes more efficient when you provide people with options and alternatives. Cycling in this city has grown significantly since the adoption of more lanes and Bike Share. This allows for less cars, taxis, and Ubers on the road because people can opt for other modes of transportation. An increase in car lanes will only lead to more cars, which leads to more congestion. When you invest in safe sidewalks, safe bike lanes, and adequate transit, that's when you see a decrease in congestion.

4) This will only cause more red tape and create more bureaucracy. Conducting a review of existing bike lanes is not an adequate use of tax payer dollars. And forcing municipalities to get provincial approval is inefficient and unnecessary. Municipalities should be the ones making decisions on these specific local needs. The Province should not be focused on these "in the weeds" policy decisions, they should be left to mayors and local councilors. The municipalities know best when it comes to their local needs. It is the ultimate irony that the government that created the Ministry of Red Tape Reduction is tabling this Bill, as it will only create more unnecessary red tape and slow down municipal and provincial decision making.