Bill 212, as drafted and…

Bill 212, as drafted and tabled by the Progressive Conservative government under Premier Doug Ford, is fundamentally flawed in it's logic, lacks any science- or evidence-based credibility or merit, and must not be passed.

This proposed legislation goes against decades of well-documented research studies of traffic congestion regarding induced demand and traffic evaporation that prove:
- bike lanes are good for adjacent businesses
- bike lanes are great for people's health and well-being
- bike lanes as part of complete streets create livable cities and towns

The existing bike lanes on Bloor St, Yonge St and University Ave absolutely must remain. The Province of Ontario must not spend any taxpayer dollars to remove existing bike lanes or other cycling infrastructure.

Since Bill 212 was introduced, the cycling community in Toronto and across municipalities in Ontario has voice its strong oppososition to the bill, expressing calling out the need for more, not less, safe cycling infrastrucutre including separated bike lanes. BIAs in Toronto have stated their evidence-based support for bike lanes. The medical community stated its science-based support for bike lanes. The Mayor, Deputy Mayor and many Toronto City councillors have stated their fiscally responsible support for bike lanes.

If the Province of Ontario insists on overreach, instead of Bill 212, the Province of Ontario through the Ministry of Transportation, should be mandating that municipalities rapidly build active transportation infrastructure including separated cycling infrastructure in the context of the climate emergency and the need to rapidly reduce GHG emissions from motorized vehicles.

The government of Ontario should provide funding, currently allocated to unnecessary and environmentally destructive 400-series highway expansion, to municipalities across the province to build complete streets and active transportation infrastructure including separated bike lanes.