The election campaign that’s coming to an end has been difficult for those who care about cycling development. With all the challenges municipalities are facing, we should be glad that cycling is doing well. Yet, throughout this campaign, candidates chose to use cycling as a way to polarize and blur the focus on our real collective mobility challenges. And that’s deeply problematic.
Citizens are now well ahead of their elected officials. According to a recent Léger poll commissioned by Vivre en Ville, 77% of Quebecers believe it is important for municipalities to implement measures to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists. This clear and consistent social consensus reflects a desire for change: people have understood the immense value of living environments where it is safe and pleasant to get around without a car.
And with good reason: Quebec has made remarkable progress in recent years. In Montreal, the modal share of cycling has nearly doubled, rising from 6% to 11% in central neighborhoods in five years. In Quebec City, the success of the àVélo bike-sharing service, which has exceeded its annual targets every season since its launch, illustrates how ready the population is to adopt this mode of transportation as soon as they are given the means to do so. Citizens have changed their habits; it is time for their elected officials to do the same.
However, on the political front, progress is too slow. In this municipal election campaign, many candidates are declaring themselves “pro-cycling.” Almost all of them say they believe in the benefits of active transportation, safe travel, and the fight against climate change. But there is often a huge gap between statements of principle and concrete decisions.
Being truly pro-cycling isn’t just about saying you like bikes. It’s about accepting that to make our streets safer and more welcoming for everyone, we sometimes need to rebalance public space, which means, yes, removing a few parking spaces or reallocating a traffic lane. It means taking consistent action, not multiplying the conditions that paralyze any action.
We can recognize false support for cycling by certain arguments that come up again and again and, under the guise of common sense, amount to saying, “not here, not now.”
- It is claimed that bike lanes are not safe enough—as if the absence of infrastructure were a guarantee of safety. Yet no one ever questions the safety of unprotected roads, where the most serious collisions occur. This double standard speaks volumes about their priorities.
- It is claimed that it costs too much—even though cycling investments are marginal at the municipal level: in 2025, the City of Montreal invested $30 million in bike lanes and $550 million in road infrastructure. Cycling-related spending represents only 5% of this budget. In this context, it is difficult to argue that cycling jeopardizes public finances.
- We say we support cycling, but not at the expense of parking—in other words, we will never do it. On this subject, in downtown Montreal, 36.5% of households do not own a car. We might ask ourselves, who is on-street parking for?
- We always think there hasn’t been enough consultation—forgetting that we can’t expect unanimity when we shake up habits. The status quo also creates dissatisfaction. Today, in Montreal, cars occupy 98% of traffic space, compared to just 2% for bike lanes. It’s time to rebalance the situation.
- More recently, other priorities have been cited—homelessness, housing, water infrastructure—as if promoting safe, economical, and environmentally friendly transportation were a luxury. In reality, these issues are not mutually exclusive: they are all linked to quality of life, public health, and the attractiveness of our cities. Where has our ability to walk and chew gum at the same time gone?
The best location is always somewhere else, the best time is always later, and there will never be enough consultation.
We can’t wait for this campaign to end, as we have collectively missed the opportunity to discuss how to develop cycling and how to support citizens in making the necessary changes towards more diverse mobility. A campaign that has exploited seniors, families, and people with reduced mobility, who nevertheless benefit greatly from cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, in order to defend on-street parking used by a minority.
Regardless of the outcome of the campaigns in Quebec, reality will catch up with the candidates. There is nothing exaggerated about the investments made in cycling in Quebec. Anyone who looks beyond prejudices and simplistic rhetoric will see that these investments remain modest. On the contrary, cycling is an underutilized solution, and simply saying “we love cycling” will not be enough to make it a real solution for the majority.
Cycling citizens and allies in Quebec, don’t miss this opportunity to have your say on the future of your community. Go vote!
– Jean-François Rheault, CEO