Group to file lawsuit over lack of consultation on bike paths

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.

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.