Group to file lawsuit over lack of consultation on bike paths

Protesters with Coalition Democratic Montreal demonstrate outside City Hall, demanding more consultation on the city's bike path plans.

A group of frustrated citizens is taking the City of Montreal to court over what they say is a lack of consultation regarding bike paths.

On Monday night, around 30 protestors from Coalition Democratic Montreal held a demonstration outside of City Hall during a council meeting, demanding to be heard.

“We want to show Montrealers that there is hope, that there is an organization out there that has been fighting for them,” said Marc Perez, the coalition’s director and spokesperson.

The group has raised $32,000 over the last year to fund a lawsuit against the City of Montreal, the urban agglomeration council and the Villeray—Saint-Michel—Parc-Extension borough.

The group has hired the law firm Bergman & Associates, which plans to file the legal action within the next few weeks.

“The lawsuit is seeking to have the applicable bylaws and resolutions quashed. Number two, to have the unconstructed bike paths stopped, and to the extent it may be legally possible, to have the bike paths already constructed possibly reversed,” attorney Michael Bergman said in an interview.

Bergman added that damages could be sought for the loss of use of public roadways and parking spaces.

“The citizenry has not been consulted, and we assert that there's a legal duty of consultation. Bike paths essentially have been invoked or rendered obligatory in a kind of top-down process,” Bergman argued.

During the demonstration, protesters expressed frustration, with some cheering when a speaker called for the removal of Projet Montreal from office.

“The goal of the lawsuit is basically to force the city to sit down with its citizens and business owners, and to implement the recommendations that would give an equitable solution to everyone,” Perez explained.

The group was formed in September 2023 by Parc-Extension residents after the city eliminated 250 parking spaces to build protected bikes lines on both sides of Querbes Avenue.

“I live on Querbes. We were never consulted. There were no consultations with the residents of Parc-Extension. No consultation with local businesses. No consultation with cyclists in the neighborhood. The bike paths that were built are dangerous,” said one protester.

In a statement, the Plante administration emphasized that developing a bike path network to offer accessible and safe transportation alternatives is an integral part of its vision for Montreal.

“As we all know, changing habits is never easy. That's why we're working with residents [through] information sessions, study meetings, field visits, and adjustments based on the needs expressed.”

“We're listening and we'll continue to do so. The Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce and Parc-Ex projects illustrate this collaborative approach, with accommodations made to address local concerns.”

The city noted that bike lanes take up only 1.4 per cent of road space, compared to 74 per cent for cars.

“What's really important in all this and everything that we're doing, is that we need citizens and the people that are pro bike paths to come and sit down and draw a map of what would be good for everyone, and that should be the solution that is proposed to the city,” Perez said.

Perez also said that the group believes the city should prioritize investing in infrastructure over bike paths.