I am a taxpaying resident in…

I am a taxpaying resident in Toronto, having lived in Etobicoke and elsewhere in Toronto for most of my life. I am appalled that the provincial government is overreaching into an area of municipal responsibility by including the removal of bike lanes along some major Toronto streets as part of Bill 212. By removing bike lanes along these major streets, it seems that the Ford government is more concerned about potentially (although this is debatable) saving automobile drivers a few minutes of their time than they are about the lives of Toronto residents who choose to ride a bicycle downtown. In addition to putting the lives of cyclists at more risk with the possible removal of bike lanes, this would be a HUGE waste of taxpayer funds ($48 million, based on a City of Toronto report). Those funds can be put to much better use for residents of Toronto.

I use various modes of transportation in Toronto, including the TTC, GO Transit, as well as walking, cycling and occasionally driving into and out of downtown Toronto. Like many other people who choose to drive downtown on occasion, I simply find other routes to take if I would prefer not to drive on the roads which include bike lanes. Or, I drive less often. People adapt.

Many residents are not just cyclists or just drivers, but rather we use different modes for different purposes. Bike lanes benefit everyone over time, including drivers, by reducing the number of cars on the road. And to reiterate, BIKE LANES SAVE LIVES by making it safer to get around the city by bike.

In anticipation of a rebuttal from the Ford government that these bike lanes could have been installed along other streets, I would like to point out that installing bike lanes along major streets such as these makes it much easier and more direct for cyclists to get around downtown. If we want people to seriously consider shifting some of their trips to cycling trips, and thus reducing traffic (over time) by taking more cars off the road, we need to make it safer and more convenient for cyclists by installing protected bike lanes in convenient locations.

PLEASE reverse the ill-conceived decision to include bike lane removal as part of Bill 212. The amount of money that would need to be spent goes against the Conservative party’s position to be “fiscally responsible”.

Thank you for your consideration.