Tuesday was a big day for Guelph cyclists. Mayor Cam Guthrie used strong mayoral powers to amend the 2026 budget, which reversed a plan that would have left lanes unplowed until spring.
But one councillor had already changed his mind about the decision a day earlier.
After initially voting to cut winter maintenance bike lanes, Coun. Dan Gibson changed his stance Monday, joining the chorus of councillors and residents pushing for snow clearing to resume.
The city’s decision to restore lane maintenance came Tuesday. But Gibson told GuelphToday that even before the reversal, he was raising concerns about implementation and safety after seeing the first snowfall. “After doing a drive around town after the first snow clear-out, I saw things on implementation that I had concerns about, but I was willing to take a wait-and-see approach,” he said. While cycling safety played a role, Gibson said he hoped to convince council colleagues to restore bike lane maintenance through a reconsideration vote, potentially bypassing typical procedural delays.
How to ride safely in the snow
The reversal followed mounting criticism of the original Nov. 26 budget meeting. That included a decision to eliminate winter plowing to save $650,000. Advocates like David Shellnutt, a.ka. The Biking Lawyer warned the move would push cyclists into traffic.
The original decision sparked a backlash from cyclists and some councillors. The result? A protest ride Monday night through downtown streets.
During a pause in Tuesday’s council meeting, Guthrie confirmed the mayoral order was already in effect. “Which means it’s done — you have the bike lanes back maintained starting today,” he told the CBC. The mayor said he had received input from both councillors and residents concerned about the safety risks of leaving lanes unplowed in winter. While he admitted he had been hesitant to exercise his expanded powers, Guthrie said enough councillors urged him to act that he felt there was clear consensus to move forward.
Andrea Bidgood, Guelph’s bicycle mayor, said the initial decision was more than problematic, noting it “isn’t just about people who bike in the winter,” and that a single policy change can affect how the entire city approaches cycling infrastructure.