Ontario Bill 212 will sadly result in more road violence deaths on unsafe streets. More than 34 cyclists from Brampton and Toronto gathered on Jan 25th to rally, ride and install a ghost bike to symbolize this prediction.
Members of BikeBrampton welcomed Cycle Toronto, Friends and Families for Safe Streets, Advocacy for Respect for Cyclists (ARC) who arrived at Brampton Innovation District GO station. Sonia and her Different Spokes volunteers prepared the ghost bike and the signs.
The group cycled down Main Street in Brampton. Several drivers honked in support. Some asked what we were doing and gave thumbs up to the response. We were given a safe passing distance by drivers.
The cyclists legally took the lane on most of the 5km route to Minister of Transportation Prabmeet Sarkaria‘s constituency office at Hurontario Street & Ray Lawson Blvd. We travelled south on Main/Hurontario using the 1.3km bike lane from Wellington Street to Nanwood Drive. The Hazel McCallion LRT line joining downtown to Port Credit in Mississauga has been pending for over 10 years. The line was approved only north to Steeles Avenue. Consequently, the road south of Steeles is in under construction and is quite uncomfortable for cycling. It is slated to receive quality active transportation as part of the LRT extension announcement made on Jan 24th.
Sonia Maset, Program Manager of Brampton Bike Hub, Different Spokes, who gave the safety briefings and led the ride, and MC’d the event, spoke of the urgency of protecting our diverse population in Brampton. Now the 3rd largest city in Ontario, Brampton is one of the fastest growing, and youngest populations in Canada. Many residents choose active transportation and transit for affordability, health, and environmental reasons.
Cycle Toronto launched a Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms Section 7 challenge to the provincial government’s Bill 212 — Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, 2024, arguing the law’s mandated removal of Toronto’s bike lanes will put lives at risk. Joined by individual applicants Eva Stanger-Ross and Narada Kiondo, and represented by lawyers from Ecojustice and Paliare Roland LLP, the lawsuit also seeks an immediate injunction to prevent the removal of target bike lanes on Bloor Street, University Avenue, and Yonge Street.
Alison Stewart, Cycle Toronto Director of Advocacy and Public Policy (aka Bicycle Mayor of Toronto) announced the injunction is effective Mar 11th. Ontario had targeted the Toronto lane removal to begin Mar 20th. The court date to hear the Charter challenge is Apr 16th.
Jess Spieker, Chair of Friends and Families for Safe Streets, spoke eloquently about her personal journey with traffic violence, and how this led to her advocacy to end these preventable crashes. There is no such thing as an ‘accident’ on our streets!
Robert Zaichkowski, a Toronto bike blogger of Two Wheeled Politics, spoke about Common Ground Ontario. It is a grassroots initiative that prescribes taking action for a better Ontario, and 6 ways you can make a difference in local election campaigns.
David Laing, Chair of BikeBrampton, expressed our gratitude of support from Toronto groups. He reminded everyone of the importance of voting in the upcoming provincial election. Only 18% of voters elected the current majority government. Bike lanes are only one of many issues. Ontarions are facing a high cost of living, housing scarcity, healthcare costs & availability, air quality, insurance costs & availability, and people migration and conflict. A non-partisan group, the Ontario Climate Emergency Campaign is hosting a webinar on Feb 13th, 7pm to discuss these issues and how they impact your votes. For more information, contact info@bramptonea.org.
Bill 212 Ghost Bike
A Ghost Bike was chained to public property across the street from Minister Sarkaria’s office. This symbolizes the anticipated injuries and deaths due to unsafe streets when bike lanes are removed. Bill 212 prevents victims or their families from seeking legal redress for the harms of this bill. Municipalities across Ontario are best suited to planning their own active transportation infrastructure.
BikeBrampton led the group on their return trip up Main Street to the downtown Brampton GO station.
A group of 10 cycled along Brampton’s signature east-west cycling corridor barrier-protected bike lane to Minister Charmaine Williams‘ constituency office. Despite having voted in favour of Brampton’s 2019 Active Transportation Master Plan when she sat on Brampton Council, she recently sent her riding residents a survey asking which bike lanes they want removed.
Our thanks to Sonia for organizing her volunteer group to prepare the creatives signs, the ghost bike, and for her leadership on this event.
Thanks again to our Toronto friends for their support!
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