New mayor keeps Montreal’s bike lanes plans–sorta

Rumours that Montreal’s vast bike path network was headed for the chopping block appears..well not quite as dire. But not perfect. The first budget tabled by new Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada suggests her administration is sticking closely to the cycling investments promised under former mayor Valérie Plante — even as it reshuffles timelines and priorities.

Bike lanes and Bixi

Martinez Ferrada seemed to ride a wave of voter frustration over how Projet Montréal expanded bike lanes. During the campaign, she promised a review of existing infrastructure and raised concerns about safety, tapping into neighbourhood anger without pledging to dismantle the network outright. At one point, future executive committee chair Claude Pinard floated the idea of a moratorium on new bike lanes, though Martinez Ferrada later insisted that was never a core campaign commitment.

According to reporting by the Montreal Gazette, the 2026 budget will still include many–but not all–of the plans for new infrastructure. It sets aside $564.6 million to maintain existing lanes, build new ones, expand the city’s cycling network and support Bixi. Long-term projections still envision Montreal’s bike network growing from about 1,000 km today to more than 2,300 km by 2050.

The backlash from cyclists

When Martinez Ferrada was initially elected, there was a whole lotta backlash from local cycling advocates. Perhaps some of that pressure sort of worked.  Plante even spoke about it leading up to the election. “I’m really crossing my fingers we keep moving forward — not backward. That would be terrible,” she said to The Gazette.

“I want to assure all Montrealers that we are there to ensure that bike lanes are safe,” Martinez Ferrada said, adding that the budget reflects exactly what she promised during the campaign.

But a closer look shows a more cautious approach. Protected lanes on Hochelaga Street aren’t entirely on hold — construction started in some spots back in 2025, even if other segments have been pushed back. While total investment levels remain similar, many projects are now scheduled for the end of the city’s 10-year capital plan, meaning they may not materialize until after the next election.

One notable exception is a signature “véloroute” project: a protected cycling corridor running alongside much of the REM. That route would eventually link Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue to St-Laurent and continue north to Deux-Montagnes, accounting for much of…