Hey, what’s money anyway, right? Everyone is so flush these days, so what’s another 170 milly.

As the Great Bike Lane Debate rages on in Ontario, Alberta is catching up fast. It’s like Premier Danielle Smith got real jelly of Doug Ford and was like, hold my oil field.

Removing existing bike lanes in Edmonton could cost taxpayers up to $170 million, city staff estimate, as Alberta prepares legislation that could put cycling infrastructure on the chopping block, as per a CTV report.

That’s a lotta dough

Mayor Andrew Knack opposes the move, saying it makes little sense during an affordability crunch.

“You don’t manage affordability or improve affordability by asking a municipality to then spend $150 million to $170 million to tear up work that’s already been done,” Knack said.

Coun. Thu Parmar warned the bill could mean cost taxpayers a bunch, too. They reckoned it would cost folks a big ole 6.8 per cent tax increase. Alberta’s proposed new rules would give the province a say over future bike lanes. It could, and may very well require existing infrastructure to be removed. Basically, the towns don’t get a choice. It’s what Ontarians are dealing with now.

And then there’s Ford

The move ain’t new. Alberta is following Ontario’s lead in giving the province more control over municipal bike lanes. Doug Ford’s government passed legislation in 2024 targeting lanes on major Toronto streets, arguing that restoring space for vehicles would help ease gridlock.

After a lower court blocked the removals, Ontario’s Court of Appeal overturned that decision on Aug. 14, clearing the way for the province to proceed. And then the fun began with the first removal last week. Despite plenty of opposition and lots of protests by cycling advocates, 1.2 km of a bike lane was ripped out.

Meanwhile, Alberta Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen welcomed the ruling as his government prepares its own legislation, which could allow existing lanes to be removed and put new cycling projects under provincial scrutiny. Meanwhile, cycling advocates in both provinces (and Quebec, and Nova Scotia, and British Columbia) continue to do the good fight, protesting the removals and reduction of critical cycling infrastructure–which save lives.