I live in Toronto, commute…

I live in Toronto, commute primarily by bicycle, and use the bike lanes the province is proposing to remove frequently. They are an important part of the city's cycling infrastructure and allow cyclists to get where they need to go safely. It would be an immense disappointment if the province chose to override the consultation and decision making process of the city and prioritize a marginal improvement in commute times for motorists over safety for other road users. Decisions about local roads and infrastructure belong rightly to the elected officials of local municipalities, who have the best sense of their contituents' needs and priorities and are locally accountable. The province's intervention in this matter is counterproductive. Cyclists will not disappear if the bike lanes are removed. They will be forced to share the road with motorists in a much less safe manner. People will be injured and killed who would not be if lanes were left in place. Furthermore, encouraging people to commute in ways other than by car - for example, by bicycle - by providing infrastructure for them to do so safely improves traffic by reducing the number of motorists on the road. Cycling reduces traffic congestion, lowers emmisions compared to driving and is good for our environment, improves physical and mental health, requires less public space be used for parking, and is an affordable form of transportation. Improving access to the choice to cycle should be a government priority. This bill makes cycling in Toronto less safe and should not be enacted.