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thewaroncars.bsky.social • 106 days ago

Not good.

NEW: Premier Doug Ford's bike lane removal law has now been passed by the Ontario legislature.
The government has been preparing to remove three lanes: University Ave. Bloor St. and Yonge St.
#onpoli

Comments

jamesbicycle.bsky.social•106 days ago

Went thru city council tearing out bike lanes in Saskatoon 2019. 5 yrs later we've some federally-funded bikeways. We spent days at city council, so much hostility, exhausting. Making friends with people who dislike you. Takes a lot of work & patience, determined tears.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/bike-lanes-bus-rapid-transit-saskatoon-city-council-1.5113186

george.borkbork.ca•106 days ago

Would be great if you could come and do a podcast from the middle of queens park while they are removing the lane…

thewaroncars.bsky.social•106 days ago

Not sure we can make it up there but we’d love to figure it out.

canadarobin.bsky.social•106 days ago

You would receive a very warm welcome.

thewaroncars.bsky.social•106 days ago

Hopefully we can get up there on the book tour next year!

guelphontwowheels.bsky.social•106 days ago

There would be so much support not only from Toronto but people from Guelph, Kitchener/Waterloo, and Hamilton would make the trip.

torontoboris.bsky.social•106 days ago

Oh sweet baby Jesus this would be great

thewaroncars.bsky.social•106 days ago

We are big fans of all the Toronto advocates and would love to make it happen.

k8thek8.bsky.social•106 days ago

I'm in Ontario and I'm really angry and sad about this. There honestly isn't any credible political opposition to Ford. All I'm hoping is that municipalities fight back against this thing. Anyone got suggestions on how I/we can get involved in the resistance to this stuff?

thewaroncars.bsky.social•106 days ago

Definitely join your local advocacy group if you’re not already a member.

bikeviewca.bsky.social•106 days ago

Locally that’s @bikeottawa.bsky.social but most of us commenting here are already members

k8thek8.bsky.social•106 days ago

Yeah, it me, already a member (& former board member). But yeah, gotta sign up to help them do shit.

thewaroncars.bsky.social•106 days ago

Oh awesome. Keep up the fight. We are following things closely.

ilikehikes.bsky.social•106 days ago

Maybe you could put up signs for petitions on the lanes about to be removed (and at bike events and on social media), and collect names and contact info to organize folks who sign for protests?

k8thek8.bsky.social•106 days ago

It's an idea! I don't know if petitions will have any traction since this thing just passed into law, but we can definitely get names and info, and encourage people to contact city hall and tell their councillors to push back against the province meddling in CITY jurisdiction.

marjorienichol.bsky.social•106 days ago

Work hard to dump Ford this spring! Outside of Toronto is where he can be made to pay for this. In Toronto, there aren’t very many PC mpps… but we will try to get their number down to zero!

k8thek8.bsky.social•106 days ago

Wish I had more voice in more Ford-y ridings, but yeah, I can work in my local riding (and also in the riding of my heart, Ottawa Centre, where I'm looking forward to supporting @catmckenney.bsky.social)

dewline.bsky.social•106 days ago

I'd suggest these people, among others:

@strongtownsottawa.bsky.social

tzed250.bsky.social•106 days ago

🤮🤬😭

ternbicycles.com•106 days ago

Boo.

fullofwhoa.bsky.social•106 days ago

I’m so, so angry. I live in a part of Toronto that’s underserved in terms of cycling infrastructure, and even BLOOR can’t keep their’s?

canadarobin.bsky.social•106 days ago

We are going to fight, Maddy. Please don't give up.

fullofwhoa.bsky.social•106 days ago

Not giving up. I have a young baby right now so I can’t participate in a lot of activism as I’m so busy, so I just feel a little helpless.

canadarobin.bsky.social•106 days ago

I think we all do! I just wanted you to know that there are lots of us fighting this. My kids are older, which gives me a little more time to work on advocacy. I didn't do anything beyond getting through my days when mine were babies and toddlers!

sarahfrumento.bike•106 days ago

Is there anything people outside of Toronto/Ontario can do?

fullofwhoa.bsky.social•106 days ago

Campaigning against Doug Ford or helping others do so. Writing to local MPPs in support of cycling infrastructure and public transit instead of new highways. Supporting pro-cycling orgs.

marjorienichol.bsky.social•106 days ago

Work hard to defeat your local PC candidate in the spring election!

canadarobin.bsky.social•106 days ago

If you have any friends or family in suburban or rural Ontario, encourage them to vote for their ABC candidate. Even if they don't care about bike lanes, there are many disastrous Ford policies that all Ontarians should want stopped/undone.

fullofwhoa.bsky.social•106 days ago

I suspect a lot of them are Ford supporters, unfortunately.

malomick.bsky.social•106 days ago

If you're brave enough to engage them on the issue, I'd stick to one point: bike lanes don't cause congestion (construction does), and removing them won't get cars moving any faster.

I find that one persuasive because a) evidence, b) appeals to drivers, and c) focuses them on wasted spending.

canadarobin.bsky.social•106 days ago

😞

matllo9.bsky.social•106 days ago

Yikes. My fear living in Alberta is that our privincial government will do the same thing. i would not put it past them.

four-course.bsky.social•106 days ago

Get on your bikes and ride!

veloveritas.bsky.social•106 days ago

It sucks to be a cyclist in Toronto.
It also sucks to be the mayor of Toronto.

It’s not the bikes.
It’s the car bloat.

Creeping obesity has crept into the interiors of cars and trucks.

yvrcyclist.bsky.social•106 days ago

How to increase CONGESTION and Kill people at the same time. ☹️

cycoligist.bsky.social•106 days ago

As I've said before, Doug Ford needs to have a stroke.

treddhedd.bsky.social•106 days ago

Pedal stroke?

stewiespeeks.bsky.social•106 days ago

He needs to get a bike.

ckjohnsonbk.bsky.social•106 days ago

I’m only an occasional driver and cyclist. I don’t own a car. So, from an outsider perspective, the degree of RAGE from drivers / car owners against cycling is completely bizarre. It is so outsized to the threat. The presence of bike lanes seems to radicalize drivers to the right. Very weird.

urbancyclinginstitute.org•106 days ago

This history lesson from The Netherlands might be useful.

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/may/05/amsterdam-bicycle-capital-world-transport-cycling-kindermoord

sarahbreau.bsky.social•106 days ago

This is true! It took decades of organized effort to turn the culture toward cycling, but it did eventually work.

treddhedd.bsky.social•106 days ago

Tiz but a temporary setback. 💪🚲

bikeviewca.bsky.social•106 days ago

He’s going to come for Ottawa infrastructure (what little there is) next. Our mayor will just back down and do what he’s told. He ran on an anti-bike platform too

veloveritas.bsky.social•106 days ago

The mayor of Ottawa can’t touch most of the bike infrastructure because it belongs to the NCC.

siglinde99.bsky.social•106 days ago

Sadly, the NCC infrastructure is mostly along scenic routes. The few bits that go downtown or on direct routes where people want to go for work or errands are city-owned.

k8thek8.bsky.social•106 days ago

Yeah, Ford has already name-checked the O'Connor lane.

k8thek8.bsky.social•106 days ago

And here's hoping to God the planned lane across Billings Bridge is already too far into development to get sucked into this.

siglinde99.bsky.social•106 days ago

O’Connor is a lifeline for me, especially in the winter when the QED isn’t an option.

k8thek8.bsky.social•106 days ago

Yeah, it made getting downtown so much easier. That plus Laurier - I remember when Laurier went in and it was like a massive weight of tension suddenly came off your shoulders getting through downtown.

veloveritas.bsky.social•106 days ago

For ten years, I cycled from Little Italy to Laurier Ave. West, along the scenic route, through all four seasons. It beat the hell out of riding the city streets. Laurier was the only bowling alley.

It took longer. But it was worth it.

I don’t mix with cars anymore. I’ve been hit & I have sued.

siglinde99.bsky.social•106 days ago

Sadly, many of the places I go (from east of downtown to the west) just can’t be done without going through downtown. Laurier and O’Connor are critical but shouldn’t be the only options.

paul-pothier.bsky.social•105 days ago

The city desperately needs another east-west route through downtown

Either along Somerset or Gladstone

And while we’re at it, how ‘bout some upgrades to the Laurier bike lane

It looks like it hasn’t been touched since it was installed in 2011

https://ottawa.ca/en/parking-roads-and-travel/road-safety/cyclists/cycling-facilities/history-ottawas-first-segregated-bike-lane

laskinator.bsky.social•106 days ago

Most NCC pathways are not winter maintained. We unfortunately have to depend upon the city to uphold their commitment to maintain the meager amount it does, to make any meaningful attempt at year round active transportation.

dvdham.bsky.social•106 days ago

NCC should play hardball. Remove O'Connor bikelane and QED will never see another car. Touch Main Street, and Colonel By is a scenic walking path. Mess with Scott and the KZM becomes a car-free linear park.

laskinator.bsky.social•106 days ago

I kinda think all that should happen anyway! Imagine how great?!?

stewiespeeks.bsky.social•106 days ago

That would be a relief. Montreal and Vancouver work smoothly with bike lanes, much of Europe and the rest of the world. Common sense?

linnett.me•106 days ago

Common sense? This is Ontario sir! 😜

futurematt.bsky.social•106 days ago

Since when has Doug Ford paid any attention to Ottawa?

joshmacleod.bsky.social•106 days ago

Honestly, he might not. Feels like this is about Toronto and settling scores. Same with the reduction of Council seats - claimed he’d look into doing it elsewhere and then just seemed to move on and forget about it.

citiesoflions.bsky.social•106 days ago

Booooo

lloydalter.bsky.social•106 days ago

Very bad. And we will keep fighting.

lonehowler.bsky.social•106 days ago

I just really hope Alberta doesn't follow suit

torontoboris.bsky.social•106 days ago

It's a shit move by a shitty Premier.

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