I oppose the Removal of Bike…

I oppose the Removal of Bike Lanes – Safety Must Come First

As a resident of Etobicoke, I am strongly opposed to the removal of bike lanes as proposed in Bill 212 and its addendum. This decision jeopardizes the safety of cyclists, including children, and will have tragic consequences. I currently only feel comfortable biking to High Park or downtown with my kids when protected bike infrastructure is available. If bike lanes are removed, the next death of a cyclist—or worse, a child cyclist—will be blood on the hands of those supporting this measure. Safety must always be the number one priority.

Before the bike lanes, I used to bike the Bloor Street Bridge on my own, but I was terrified every single time. It was dangerous and stressful. When the bike lanes were added, it was transformative. Last year, for the first time, I was able to bike across the bridge with my entire family to attend the Santa Claus Parade at Christie Pits. This wouldn’t have been possible without the bike lanes ensuring a safe route for me and my children.

Spending $48 million to remove infrastructure that is still being installed is absurd and a blatant waste of public funds. This money would be far better spent expanding protected bike infrastructure or improving public transit, not dismantling something that has already been proven to save lives and increase accessibility.

Additionally, traffic congestion has been an issue in Etobicoke long before bike lanes were installed. Removing this infrastructure will not solve gridlock—it will only put more vulnerable road users at risk. On sections of Bloor Street that have had bike infrastructure for many years, I’ve seen countless bikes using the bike lanes, proving how well-used and essential they are for the community. The Etobicoke section has barely been installed for 1 year and ridership is already increasing.

The Bloor Street bike lanes have made biking safer and more accessible for everyone, from casual riders to families like mine. Prioritizing safety over convenience for drivers is not just the right thing to do—it’s a moral imperative. I urge you to reconsider this harmful and shortsighted proposal.