Ontario’s municipalities say upcoming legislation that would require cities to get provincial approval for some bike lanes is a “significant overreach” of power.
The Association of Municipalities of Ontario says none of its 444 members were consulted or shown evidence the province is using to justify its proposed veto power over new bike lanes that would remove a lane for cars.
Premier Doug Ford’s government is set to table the bike lane legislation next week as part of a suite of measures designed to tackle gridlock.
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Ford has complained about bike lanes on Bloor Street West creating gridlock on a road that is about a 10-minute drive from his home in Toronto’s west end.
The association says it does not know how the Ministry of Transportation will be better able to decide local transportation matters than the municipalities themselves.
It says the province should not micromanage on bike lanes and instead focus on bigger issues, such as accelerating its approval processes to build new housing.
“Bicycle lanes are an essential element of urban transportation planning and road safety,” the association said in a statement.
“Requiring provincial approval would be a significant overreach into municipal jurisdiction.”
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