Winnipeg plans temporary bike lanes on Wellington Crescent ahead of permanent protected lanes proposed…except the latter are planned for 2027. There is $5.5 million earmarked in the 2029 budget, but locals think something needs to be done now, not later.
On March 4, dozens of locals spoke about their concerns.
“It’s concerning to see funding planned so far ahead. So much can change in three years,” said Councillor Janice Lukes, as reported by CityNews. A city survey found 83 per cent view the stretch as unsafe for cyclists. 48 per cent worry the pilot could negatively impact the community.
Councillor Russ Wyatt opposed the plan. He said other projects should take priority and residents should fund upgrades themselves through the Local Improvement Levy.
Matthew Carvell, of Neighbours for a Safe Wellington Crescent, criticized repeated delays. “Safety shouldn’t be postponed for years,” he said
In a statement, local advocacy group Bike Winnipeg added, “Safety delayed is safety denied.”
In February, Lukes said a permanent design would protect both cyclists and pedestrians.
The push came after multiple calls from the city’s cycling community, especially after 61-year-old Rob Jenner was fatally hit by a hit-and-run driver while riding to work on the same road back in June 2024.
A year later, in June 2025, local cyclists created a temporary bike lane to draw attention to the dangerous stretch. “It shouldn’t be taking years and years,” Michael, the organizer of the pop-up bike lane, said to CBC Radio. “A group of people put this together in an hour and a half. They did it just to show what could be done.”
The bike lane debate in Winnipeg comes amid all kinds of similar clashes across the country. Montreal, Vancouver, Toronto, Medicine Hat–pick a place in Canada, and people are arguing about cycling infrastructure.