In 2018, I was riding my bicycle along Bloor Street and a vehicle pulled past me, stopped, and a passenger got out the back door. There just was not time for me to react. I ran into the door. The bicycle was damaged. I was injured. I ended up with a horseshoe-shaped bruise on my thigh. That was one of 132 dooring incidents in the city that year.

I actually got off quite lucky. I’ve since spoken with another gentleman who was also doored. He was pushed under a truck when he got doored, and he’s a quadriplegic. Sometimes dooring incidents even lead to death.

So I’ve been thinking about this, and I’m thinking there’s a technical solution to reduce and potentially eliminate doorings.

Today in the Legislature, we’ve got engineering students from the University of Toronto who have developed a device that goes on side-view mirrors. If a bicycle or another vulnerable pedestrian or a vehicle is coming up the side of a vehicle, it will send out an alarm. It will send out a light, and it will prevent the person from opening the door, so that we can reduce the number of doorings.

Today, I will be introducing a motion in the Legislature to mandate these devices on all ride-share vehicles in the province of Ontario, to be paid for by the ride-share companies three years out. I’m hoping that the government will pass this motion and help us to reduce and potentially eliminate doorings in the province of Ontario.