Members of General Committee supported amendments to the Traffic By-law that will gradually lower speeds on residential streets from 50 to 40-kilometres per hour (km/h). This year, 11 neighbourhoods across the City will have their speed limits reduced to 40 km/h.
This amendment to the City’s Traffic By-law addresses the actions in the Transportation Master Plan related to safety goals to achieve Vision Zero that include reducing speed limits within neighbourhoods.
The corporate report highlights that staff consulted with City councillors to determine priority neighbourhoods to receive the new lower 40 km/h signage in this first round.
Traffic Staff are advising that currently, 40 km/h speed zones are posted in front of elementary schools, but the speed limit through the rest of the neighbourhood is 50 km/h. This amendment will see the City gradually reduce speed limits throughout the entire neighbourhood from 50 km/h to 40 km/h. The first 11 neighbourhoods will be adjusted to 40 km/h this year by placing signs at every entry and exit to a neighbourhood.
In 2017, the Government of Ontario passed new legislation under the Safer School Zones Act (Bill 65) that amended the Highway Traffic Act , allowing municipalities to designate areas where speed limits can be lower than 50 km/hr.
The By-law came before City Council on Oct. 9 for final approval. For more information visit the corporate report .
For more detailed information on where 40 km/h speed limits will be implemented this year visit the road safety webpage .
