I oppose the proposed…

I oppose the proposed amendments in Bill 60 related to bike lanes and the Highway Traffic Act.

The bill removes the ability of cities and their residents to make local transportation decisions. These projects are usually backed by evidence, consultation, and on-the-ground knowledge that the Province simply doesn’t have. Taking that authority away will make it harder for cities to respond to real safety and mobility needs.

The idea that reallocating road space automatically causes congestion has been disproven repeatedly, including by the Province’s own experts in recent court proceedings. Removing the option to add or adjust bike lanes or bus priority lanes doesn’t reduce travel times. It does the opposite by preventing cities from using tools that move more people more efficiently.

Limiting the ability to build protected bike lanes will also make roads less safe. These lanes reduce serious injuries and fatalities for people biking, walking, and driving. Blocking them ignores clear safety evidence and undermines public health.

The bill reaches far beyond cycling. It threatens any improvement that relies on managing curb space or road space, including transit priority, patios, school streets, safe crossings, and better access for people with mobility challenges. Cities need flexibility to design streets that work for everyone, not just for cars.

Locking municipalities into car-dependent street designs also pushes Ontario further from its climate goals. Cities should be encouraged to build transportation networks that give people real options, reduce emissions, and keep communities vibrant.

This isn’t about being for or against cars. It’s about allowing evidence-based planning at the level closest to residents. Bill 60 removes that ability and replaces it with a blanket ban that will make transportation worse, not better.

For these reasons, I urge the Province to withdraw the bike lane and lane-reallocation provisions from Bill 60.