This is a great time to be a motorist in Ontario, where our provincial government is driven by a desire to make this province as car friendly as possible.
Life in the fast lane will be cheaper, less cluttered and smoother, if the goals of new legislation are achieved.
Meanwhile, the province is giving the gears to cyclists, who are seen by the government as being impediments to fast, efficient travel, and is also usurping the authority of local decision makers.
“The Ontario government is making life easier for drivers by introducing legislation that would, if passed, require municipalities to receive approval from the province before installing new bike lanes that would result in the removal of lanes for traffic. Municipalities would be required to demonstrate that the proposed bike lanes won’t have a negative impact on vehicle traffic,” the province has announced.
“Cities in Ontario have seen an explosion of bike lanes, including many that were installed during the pandemic when fewer vehicles were on the road and their impacts on traffic were unclear,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “Too many drivers are now stuck in gridlock as a result, which is why our government is bringing informed decision-making and oversight to bike lanes as well as taking steps to increase speed limits safely and clean up potholes.”
The plan is to tackle gridlock and get “drivers and commuters across Ontario out of traffic.”
The government is “moving forward with plans to make life more convenient for drivers” by increasing the speed limit to 110 kilometres per hour, where it is safe to do so, on all 400-series highways. The government is also developing a design standard to allow vehicles to travel safely at speeds higher than 120 km/h on new highways.
Plus, to help make roads safer and prevent accidents and damages caused by potholes, the government is consulting with municipalities to develop a potholes prevention and repair fund. The program would support smaller municipalities with road maintenance and set standards to help improve road conditions and promote high-quality roadwork across the province.
The government is also enshrining in the legislation the current freeze on knowledge and road test fees so that any future increases would require a legislative amendment. The moratorium on fee increases will help save Ontarians $72 million this decade, the government says.
Some of the measures contained in the pro-car package are laudable. Actions to deal with potholes are long overdue. The road test fee freeze is nice.
But it remains to be seen whether higher speed limits will actually make life “more convenient.”
There is strong evidence that speeding is deadly. High speeds cause about 25 per cent of fatal crashes in Ontario. There were 404 road fatalities in 2023, a 14 per cent increase from 2022.
At the same time, this year, there has been an increase in the number of cyclists, pedestrians and motorcyclists dying on Ontario roads.
In Canada an average of 74 Canadians lose their life in a cycling collision yearly; 73 per cent of those collisions involved a motor vehicle.
One of these victims was 14-year-old Charlotte Light, of Ingleside, who died August 30 when she was struck by a vehicle while cycling on County Road 2 west of Long Sault.
Her death renewed calls for the extension of a recreational path beside the busy highway in order to ensure the safety of pedestrians and cyclists between Long Sault and Ingleside.
Connecting gaps in existing paths would have many benefits. In addition to improving safety and promoting active transportation, tourism would get a boost through pedestrian and cycling linkages to retail/commercial areas, restaurants and other recreational amenities, notes the South Stormont waterfront development master plan.
Yet, any action will be costly and complicated. A 2021 assessment estimated the cost of extending the path at more than $10 million. And various property owners would have to agree to advance the project.
Considering the pro-vehicle stance of the government, the odds of landing any money from Queen’s Park for a new bike path are slim.
Cyclists and pedestrians know that not all vehicle drivers are willing to share the road. Narrow rural routes can be especially treacherous for walkers and pedalers.
At a time when everyone is worried about environmental footprints and the need to remain active, we need more, not fewer, bike lanes.
Also, have you seen a study that proves bike lanes cause traffic jams? In fact, some critics caution that the government’s plan will create more gridlock and make streets more dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians.
Obviously, Premier Doug Ford is convinced he can win votes in Toronto by pledging to ease congestion on the streets of the Big Smoke.
But why should the rest of Ontario suffer because of the mess at the Centre of the Universe? The one-size-fits-all cookie-cutter approach was abandoned long ago. Grass roots solutions are de rigueur. Little is done these days without consulting stakeholders.
The bike path edict smacks of government over-reach. Whatever happened to local government autonomy? It is ludicrous that duly elected officials would require the permission of the provincial government to set up new cycling lanes.
Some cynics are getting revved up, fearing that the anti-bike movement at Queen’s Park could very well be the thin edge of the wedge, that the province will continue to erode the authority of local elected officials. Will Toronto force municipalities to run roads through conservation areas or impose special taxes on bicycles? Not likely. But let’s keep that among ourselves. We don’t want to give the Premier any more loopy ideas.
