Nov. 24, 2024 — Safe Streets Halton, BurlingtonGreen, Halton Hills Climate Action, Oakville Green, and Halton Environmental Network
Safe Streets Halton, alongside BurlingtonGreen, Halton Hills Climate Action, Oakville Green, and Halton Environmental Network have released an open letter in response to the province’s upcoming restrictions on bike lanes.
“This legislation does not address the traffic safety issues that Halton residents face, with at least 10 deaths and over a thousand injuries occurring in the past year alone,” remarked Nick Morrison, President of Safe Streets Halton.
The letter comes as Bill 212 approaches its third reading in the legislature. Amendments were recently made restricting the public’s ability to sue the province for injury after removal of existing bicycle lanes.
“It comes with a requirement [that data shows] the removal of a lane will not cause delays in traffic, how does one do that in advance of installing a bike lane?” Councillor Jane Fogal questioned at a recent Halton Hills council meeting where the town approved a motion opposing the legislation. She cited a pilot project in Ottawa, where bike lanes were installed temporarily and vehicle travel times improved, making way for making a permanent change.
The City of Burlington has also passed their own motion opposing Bill 212. “We would have a lot more people cycling if it were safer, and bike lanes are a big part of that,” Councillor Rory Nisan commented. “We can figure this out on our own.”
In the letter, the province is urged to reconsider these restrictions and focus on improving traffic safety for all road users in Halton Region. Safe Streets Halton calls on Halton Region residents and businesses to visit safestreetshalton.ca/SaferStreetsOntario, sign the petition and contact their MPP.
