Municipalities across…

Municipalities across Ontario recognize the benefits of building cycling infrastructure as part of an integrated multi-modal transportation system. Creating safe, interconnected cycling networks that include bike lanes will encourage more people to cycle for transportation. This can help address multiple societal challenges such as health (reduction of chronic diseases), air pollution (fewer motor vehicles on the road) and climate change (reduction of greenhouse gas emissions). Additionally, building bike lanes improves transportation equity. Automobile ownership is unaffordable for many, especially when considering the increasing costs of other necessities including housing and food. Cycling provides an affordable mode of transportation, particularly for those who do not drive cars due to age, income, or ability.

As such, we oppose amendments to the Highway Traffic Act that restricts from incorporating health-promoting and community-building bicycle lanes within their municipalities. Evidence shows that protected bicycle lanes improve air quality and road safety and reduce climate-damaging greenhouse gas emissions and transportation costs. (Protected Bicycle Lanes Protect the Climate – Measuring How Networks of Protected Bicycle Lanes Reduce Carbon Emissions, Transport Costs, and Premature Deaths. https://www.fiafoundation.org/)

We echo the comments and support the position of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), that: “Municipalities, relying on local knowledge and community input, are best positioned to balance traffic flow with active transportation, road safety, and community needs. Biking is a key tool for combating congestion; bike lanes are an essential element of multi-modal planning that removes cars from the road for short trips and transit connections, thus alleviating congestion, not causing it.” https://www.amo.on.ca/policy/land-use-planning-resources-and-climate-ch…

While we agree with the statement in the “Environmental Implications” section of the ERO posting that traffic is a major source of air pollution, the suggestion that creating more capacity on roads for vehicles and drivers can in any way address this, goes against all evidence on interventions to reduce traffic pollution and the serious health harms it causes, including over 1,200 deaths every year in Canada.