This is getting a little silly now, innit? Another Ontario community could soon lose a section of cycling infrastructure. Every day it seems, another city, town or hamlet in Canada seems to have some vocal opposition to bike lanes. (And not just future ones, existing ones, too!)
The big push really began a few years back in Ontario, at least, when Premier Doug Ford unveiled some new legislation to allow the province to usurp municipal authority on cycling infrastructure. That seems to have…inspired a whole buncha folks to try and do the same in Montreal, Vancouver, Alberta, the list goes on.
The bike lane debate across Canada
In Toronto, there has been a never-ending legal challenge fought by cycling advocates to preserve important bike lanes. In Montreal, a new admin is trying to undo the work done by the previous mayor. In Alberta, the government is taking a page from Ontario to try and make the same play. Funnily enough, due to the work from Ontario cycling advocates, Alberta’s are reaching out to learn how to fight the moves.
The Milton motion
A motion set to be discussed by Milton council later this month would see the removal of the bike lane on Bergamot Avenue, according to InsideHalton. That would replace the current arrangement with additional on-street parking. (It’s a somewhat surprising debate for Milton, a community that has built a reputation as a bit of a cycling hub thanks to the Mattamy National Cycling Centre.)
Calgary mayor goes in hard for bike lanes
The road currently operates under a compromise that came about in 2025. As a cyclist, you have a designated lane for much of the year. However, residents are permitted to park in that space between Nov. 15 and April 15.
Ward 4 councillor Sarah Marshall brought forward the motion. She said she has heard repeated concerns from residents about a shortage of parking in the area. According to Marshall, visitors often struggle to find convenient parking spots. Marshall also claims the seasonal arrangement has failed to meet local needs.
“I think it’s really important that there are reasonable alternative paths for people. It doesn’t mean that you can’t ride your bike on this street. It just means there isn’t a designated bike lane on this road,” Marshall said to InsideHalton.
I mean, sure, you can ride your bike pretty much everywhere, apart from highways. But does that mean it’s safe? Bike lanes create a designated and/or protected area for cyclists to ride.
The proposal comes as Milton is pursuing broader active transportation goals. The town’s Transportation Master Plan, updated in 2025, calls for significant growth in the cycling network over the coming years, which is good. But removing bike lanes seems a little backward.