Why is Doug Ford trying to kill us?
The Premier of Ontario isn't just going after people on bikes; he is hurting everyone in the province.
Momentum Magazine recently pointed to an 18-year study in Scotland that found that regular cycling commuters had a 47 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality than those who travelled by car or public transit. “The long-term health benefits didn’t stop there: cycling was also linked to a 24 percent reduced risk of cardiovascular hospitalizations, a 51 percent lower risk of dying from cancer, and improved mental health, as measured by fewer prescriptions for anxiety and depression.”
I immediately wondered how many people would die from heart attacks or cancer, let alone being squished by cars, after the Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford, rips up the main commuter bike lanes in midtown Toronto. It also got me thinking about all the ways Doug Ford is killing Ontario citizens, whether they ride bikes or not.
I have already written about how Doug Ford will have blood on his hands if he rips out Toronto bike lanes. Like many other car-brained people, he thinks deaths on the road are a cost of doing business, and bikes are no different than cars, saying, “My heart goes out to the families, and I'm so sorry, just like I'm sorry when people get in car accidents and motorcycle accidents and so on and so forth.” But bikes are different. If you separate them from cars, people generally don’t die. Removing the bike lanes will kill people directly and, as the Scottish study notes, indirectly.
Doug Ford made beer and wine available in 8500 corner stores in "the largest expansion of consumer choice and convenience since the end of prohibition almost 100 years ago." While many will say this is civilized and reasonable, Mental health advocates say, “Increasing the number of alcohol outlets has been shown to increase negative health outcomes, including violence, injuries, alcohol-related crashes, and death by suicide." It will also likely mean the end of the Province’s refillable beer bottle system and increased consumption of bisphenol A.
Doug Ford increased the speed limits on controlled-access (400 series) highways, a nice pairing with easier access to alcohol. The World Health Organization notes, “An increase in average speed is directly related both to the likelihood of a crash occurring and to the severity of the consequences of the crash. For example, every 1% increase in mean speed produces a 4% increase in the fatal crash risk and a 3% increase in the serious crash risk.”
Just be sure you don’t get into a car crash. Doug Ford underfunds the healthcare system, leading to 1,200 Emergency Room and other hospital department shutdowns in 2023. The head of the health care unions says, “Our members are distraught and angry. They find it inexcusable that the government is indifferent to the suffering of hospital patients. They don’t understand how Doug Ford can cut funding while ERs are shutting down, while a record number of patients are receiving treatment in hallways, and while children are dying on surgical wait lists.”
Doug Ford’s “More homes built faster” development plan removes density targets, reduces parkland dedications, and, according to Environmental Defence, will "kneecap housing supply efforts and unleash unprecedented sprawl." Meanwhile, Doug Ford cancelled the DriveClean program, dismantled wind energy projects, and ordered new gas-powered generating stations which will increase greenhouse gas and other emissions by 300% by 2030. Already, Under Ford, the grid’s emissions-free share has dropped from 96% to 87%. All of these actions will increase air pollution. Burning more gas produces nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, VOCs and particulate matter. A 2021 Harvard study found that An increase of 1 microgram per cubic meter of PM2.5 leads to a 1.4% increase in the likelihood of early mortality. People will die, and lives will be shortened because of this increased pollution.
So, on top of all the giveaways that encourage more driving, Doug Ford is encouraging sprawl, increasing deadly pollution, encouraging drinking and speeding while reducing emergency services and health care. Ripping up Toronto’s bike lanes is small potatoes compared to the other ways he is killing us.
Any day now, Doug Ford will call an early election, which he will most likely win; 75% of the population lives in car-oriented suburbs and exurbs, and they just eat this stuff up.
Why is Doug Ford trying to kill us? Perhaps it will drive traffic to the billion-dollar spa he is building on the waterfront, where we can pay for some health and wellness. It may be the only place in town with filtered air and clean water. It is the only reason I can think of.
"If you want healthy habits, you can drive to them and pay." 🤦♂️
Holidays are over folks, time to actively resist Ford and Ontario Conservative Party policy to promote an onerously expensive and environmentally destructive transportation system based on individual macro- mobility devices rather than efficient, affordable shared and micro-mobility modes. Transportation costs are unnecessarily high for every Canadian and disproportionately affect lower income people. No need for graft vote buying gifts Doug, just listen to your professional staff without badgering them to insure your re-election.