If you’ve been following the ongoing bike lane drama in Ontario, you’ll have noticed that another province has recently said, hold my Alberta Genuine draft. The Alberta government is hoping to do something that Premier Doug Ford’s administration started back in November 2024.
Alberta pulls an Ontario
Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas is urging the Alberta government to reconsider plans that could give the province new authority over municipal bike lanes, warning the move risks undermining road safety and local decision-making.
Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen confirmed last week that legislation is expected this fall that would allow the province to sign off on future bike lanes and, in some cases, remove existing ones. The proposal marks a potential shift in how cycling infrastructure is governed in Alberta, where such decisions have traditionally been handled by municipalities. Similar problems continue to surface across Canada, that cycling advocates continue to fight.
Montreal, for example, is another city that is dealing with some bike lane problems. After a decade of a pro-bike Mayor, the city finds itself with many future projects also being threatened.
Bike Calgary president Doug Clark warned the legislation could reduce safety and hinted at the possibility of a court challenge, arguing municipalities are better positioned to design local cycling networks. And the only good thing about the fact that Ontario is two years deep into this sorta thing, is that Calgary cycling advocates can trade notes with Toronto ones. Groups like Cycle Toronto have been fighting hard against the bike lane battle, even launching a Charter challenge–which was won. The Ontario government appealed it (of course) and now it may be several months before a judge reaches (another decision.) The worst part about that is many projects planned are effectively paused.
Why rip out existing lanes?
Farkas said Tuesday he is open to provincial input but strongly objects to the idea of removing lanes already used by children and commuters. “Anything that the province wants to do that could potentially make roads less safe for kids right now, I’ll strongly be pushing back,” he said to CTV News.
Calgary councillor Nathaniel Schmidt has said several times he has not seen strong public demand for removing bike lanes and questioned the need for provincial intervention without clearer data.
Dreeshen, meanwhile, has defended the proposal, saying the province is responding to complaints about poorly placed cycling infrastructure and congestion concerns. In a statement also reported by CTV News, he said municipalities sometimes use taxpayer dollars to reduce road capacity at a time when Alberta is investing heavily in expanding it.
This story, just like the other ones across Canada, whether it’s Montreal, Vancouver, or Toronto, continue to evolve. Thankfully there are voices fighting for critical cycling infrastructure. But it seems to be a never-ending battle at times.