Sound familiar, Canadian Cycling Magazine readers? Halifax regional councillors are sharply divided over how much the municipality should spend to finish its all-ages-and-abilities (AAA) bikeway network. The cost of it is colliding head-on with calls for safer cycling infrastructure.
Council last week debated a series of staff-recommended design changes intended to shave roughly $4.7 million off the remaining cost of the AAA bikeway buildout.
According to a staff report, completing the network in Halifax and Dartmouth will require more than $66 million in additional funding. It would push the total project cost to about $85 million once finished. Construction began in 2017, and roughly 59 per cent of the 53-kilometre network is now complete.
But municipal staff are warning cheaper options will also come with trade-offs.
Proposed changes include shifting a planned multi-use pathway on Novalea Drive to an on-street bikeway. There’s also rerouting protected lanes in Dartmouth to quieter local streets, and downgrading protections along Welsford Street. While each option meets federal funding requirements, transportation planners warned that some would reduce safety, connectivity, or parking availability.
Several councillors argued the savings weren’t worth the compromise. Dartmouth Centre Coun. Sam Austin said redirecting the Highfield Park Drive route would undermine access to transit and future growth areas. He callied it “a worse option” despite the potential $3-million savings. Halifax West Armdale Coun. Shawn Cleary echoed concerns that weaker designs would discourage new riders.
Others questioned whether the investment is justified at all. Cole Harbour–Preston–Westphal Coun. Trish Purdy said limited dollars would be better spent on transit and sidewalks.
Mayor Andy Fillmore framed the debate around affordability, saying a fully AAA-rated network may no longer be realistic given current economic pressures.
After extended debate, council approved cost-saving changes for Novalea Drive and Welsford Street, while rejecting the proposed downgrade for Highfield Park Drive, keeping that project’s original design intact.
This is far from the first time in Halifax that bike lanes ruffled feathers. Back in September 2025, the recently elected Mayor proposed pausing all new bike lane construction, citing traffic and cost concerns. The motion faced strong opposition from cycling advocates….
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