Mayor Orders Bike Lanes Plowed, Creating $650K Bill and Ongoing $300K Annual Expense

A last-minute budget reversal and the use of strong-mayor powers have reshaped Guelph’s 2026 finances. What began as a cost-saving measure is now a renewed multimillion-dollar commitment – one that leans on service cuts today and locks residents into long-term expenses tomorrow.

Mayor Cam Guthrie has formally reinstated winter plowing for Guelph’s on-street bike lanes, issuing a Mayoral Decision that amends the 2026 budget by adding $650,000 in operating costs. The reversal comes less than a month after council voted 7-6 against funding the same service – a vote that included Councillor Dan Gibson, who had originally moved to eliminate winter bike-lane plowing during budget deliberations. The mayor’s decision was announced one day after a public protest by about 50 cyclists.

The mayor’s budget amendment confirms that $349,118 of the $650,000 will be funded through an increase to the 2026 tax levy, while the remaining $300,882 will be drawn one-time from the Environment and Utility Contingency reserve. Those added costs are balanced out by two significant cuts: the removal of 2 new Bylaw Officer positions, reducing expenses by $99,117 and a $250,000 reduction to both the operating transfer to the 100RE reserve and the corresponding future capital funding. These offsets mathematically neutralize the 2026 tax levy impact, allowing the mayor to declare “no net tax increase” for the upcoming year – but only by reducing other services and scaling back environmental funding.

Beginning in 2027, the decision leaves a permanent $300,000 tax levy increase unless council chooses to amend the budget in future years. The city has not provided details on how service levels will be adjusted to fit this lower ongoing amount, nor has it shared current winter usage data for on-street bike lanes, making it difficult to assess whether the recurring expense reflects proportionate demand.

The move also marks a dramatic policy shift for Guthrie, who voted with the majority on November 26 to reject the same $650,000 request during budget deliberations. With Tuesday’s directive, the mayor has overridden that vote using provincial strong-mayor powers, reinstating a service council explicitly removed in the interest of affordability.

For residents already facing substantial tax pressures, the change introduces both a one-year expense of $650,000 and a guaranteed $300,000 annual operating cost going forward. Supporters argue it improves winter mobility and safety. Critics question whether a specialized service with limited winter ridership warrants this level of ongoing taxpayer commitment, particularly when its funding relies on cuts to bylaw capacity and reductions to long-term environmental initiatives.