Community members are organizing a ride and rally at Hamilton’s city hall in protest against the new Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act.
Following the tabling of Bill 212 on Monday, local advocacy organizations have decided to hold a protest rally at around 5 p.m. at the forecourt of city hall.
Mark Anderson, a board member of the cycling advocacy group Cycle Hamilton, posted on X Tuesday advertising the ride and rally at Hamilton’s city hall.
“We have to show @fordnation that cyclists are not a distraction or a sideshow,” said Anderson.
#HamOnt #BikeHamilton Bill 212 Is worse than we thought. Join me Wednesday at 5 pm at the City Hall Forecourt for a Rally and Ride. We have to show @fordnation that cyclists are not a distraction or a sideshow. #BikeLanesSaveLives pic.twitter.com/p6SXEb8bps
— Mark Anderson (He/His/Him) (@cycletherapyHam) October 22, 2024
This rally would happen at the same time as a rally is scheduled to occur at Queen’s Park in Toronto.
Hamilton Independent MPP Sarah Jama also posted on X announcing that she would be speaking at the rally at Queen’s Park, representing Hamilton Centre “in the call to protect our bike lanes”.
Ontario’s government tabled Bill 212 on Monday in a bid to give the province veto power over some bike lanes, accelerate highway construction projects and ease environmental assessments for new highways.
The government is also attempting to give itself power through regulation to remove existing bike lanes.
WATCH MORE: Ontario tables legislation that includes ban on some bike lanes across the province
The new bill would require municipalities to ask the province for permission to install new bike lanes when they would remove a lane from vehicle traffic.
The Association of Municipalities of Ontario slammed the province’s new bill, calling it a “significant overreach” of power.
The new act’s proposal has been posted for a 30-day public review on the Environmental Registry of Ontario website and are accepting comments until Nov. 20.
Anyone with a comment they want to leave can find the site here.
With files from The Canadian Press.