This bill takes away…

This bill takes away democratic local decision making. It strips cities of local authority even when projects are supported by evidence and local residents.

Roads are thoroughfares which must be built so that all citizens can travel efficiently. In the largest cities in Ontario, it is not possible to fit more cars onto roads which were built for a time when there were many fewer people living in the cities. Banning reductions in lanes for cars travel on is wrong.

There are an ever increasing number of people living in our cities. There is simply not room on the roads for more people to drive cars. We must prioritize public transit on roads and smaller, non polluting vehicles such as bicycles. This bill threatens other uses of road space that communities rely on, including transit priority and safe crossings.

The days of cars as the predominant means of travel on city roads should be past. Mandating only cars to use roads will worsen traffic congestion, not reduce it. The Ontario government’s own experts have consistently said that bike lanes are not a cause of gridlock.

This bill undermines climate goals and public health by locking cities into car-dependent street designs.

It will make roads more dangerous. Protected bike lanes prevent serious injuries and deaths for people biking, walking, and driving.