Regional councillor Rob Deutschmann will ask fellow councillors to support a motion asking the province to stay in its lane when it comes to bike lanes.
A notice of motion on tonight's meeting agenda seeks support to oppose the province's plan to require provincial approval for all new cycling lanes that remove vehicle traffic lanes.
The legislation would compel municipalities to demonstrate that proposed cycling lanes will not negatively impact vehicle traffic and there are fears that a proposed review of existing cycling facilities could lead to their removal.
Deutschmann's motion backs up previous opposition voiced by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and a number of other municipalities, including Toronto.
The AMO says none of its 444 members were consulted or shown evidence to justify the province's proposed veto power over new bike lanes that would remove a lane for cars.
"Bicycle lanes are an essential element of urban transportation planning and road safety," the association said. "Requiring provincial approval would be a significant overreach into municipal jurisdiction."
Deutschmann will ask regional council to approve a resolution calling on the province to withdraw Bill 212, stating the region "strongly opposes the proposed provincial legislation governing bicycle lanes and affirms its support for maintaining municipal jurisdiction over cycling infrastructure decisions."
He also wants the region to endorse "the AMO's position that municipalities are better positioned than the Ministry of Transportation to make decisions about local transportation matters based on local knowledge and community input."
It calls on the province to withdraw the proposed legislation and asks that it respect the established authority of municipalities to make informed decisions about local transportation needs, including the implementation of cycling lanes.
If council approves the motion, the resolution will be sent to the Premier of Ontario, the Minister of Transportation, all Members of Provincial Parliament representing constituencies within the Region of Waterloo.
