Basinski said space for bike lanes should not be viewed as contributing to congestion. “One lane of mixed traffic can move up to 2,000 passengers per hour in optimal conditions. However, a dedicated bike lane can move up to 12,000 passengers per hour,” the letter reads.

”What problem is this (the proposed legislation) actually solving?” Basinski said. “If anything, it seems to move us backward, away from the common goal of creating complete, livable and sustainable communities that are accessible to all Ontarians, regardless of where they live.”

The City of Toronto estimates the cost to taxpayers for removing these bike lanes could reach $48 million, with the city already investing $27 million in their construction. Restoring vehicle lanes will likely offer minimal improvements in travel time and undermine the public health, environmental and economic benefits of active transportation, the report warns.

NATO increases pressure on Canada to devote public resources to war rather than pressing security and social needs. In July the Liberals committed to reaching NATO’s target of spending two per cent of GDP on the military by 2032. Recently the Parliamentary Budget Officer calculated Canada would need to spend $41 billion more per year on warfare to reach NATO’s target. Already, Canadian military spending has doubled from $20 billion to $41 billion over the past decade partly in a bid to reach the NATO target. And now Ottawa plans to double it again to $82 billion. This starves society of resources to overcome far more pressing social needs like building hundreds of thousands of units of public housing.