On Monday, February 27th, Oakville council made strives towards creating a more accessible transportation system following a report from Safe Streets Halton volunteers.

Free Transit For Youth and Seniors: First, we would like to congratulate and thank the councillors that supported making transit a more accessible option for youth and seniors. Through our advocacy, town council made an informed decision based on existing data from neighbouring municipalities and went a step beyond them.

Increased Funding for Active Transportation and Traffic Calming Initiatives: Oakville council is increasing funding for its active transportation (walking, cycling) and traffic calming initiatives. This funding will go towards making Oakville a safer place for all while encouraging healthier transportation habits.

Safety Improvements: We would like to thank council for recognizing the importance of creating accessible and safe spaces all times of the year. We welcome the improvements to snow clearing and path lighting that will come from this budget. We hope to see more work done in these areas in the future.

These decisions demonstrate council’s commitment to investing in changes that support improved mobility, equity, and climate action. We look forward to seeing further commitments from council to making Oakville a safer and healthier town for all.

These decisions demonstrate council’s commitment to investing in changes that support improved mobility, equity, and climate action. We look forward to seeing further commitments from council to making Oakville a safer and healthier town for all.

More on Transit in Oakville:

During the debate, Ward 5 Councillor Jeff Knoll emphasized that the history of issues with transit ridership in Oakville has been an ongoing conversation for over 20 years. He made specific note of what was a lack of service on weekends and holidays. Increasing service hours required leadership from council at the time when it was thought that there would be no transit ridership on weekends.

The following benefits were mentioned in our deputation and by council:

  • This program is an investment in the future of our town and its community members, with significant social, environmental, and health returns.

  • By supporting free transit for youth and seniors, the town is investing in a more sustainable and livable Oakville by making future generations transit-savvy and less car-dependent. This also leads to greater independence and engagement from our youth and senior population.

  • This program can lead to improved air quality, reduced car dependence, and reduced congestion, resulting in improved health, mobility, and equity.

As Oakville’s population is expected to grow significantly, greater investment in transit is necessary to ensure that residents can live sustainable, accessible, and fulfilling lives. Investing in our community members through greater mobility will lead to positive changes in the future. This vote is a significant step towards building a more inclusive and sustainable community.

We want to congratulate the Oakville Town Council on this decision, and we are excited to see the positive impact it will have on the community and the improvements that will come to the program next year.

Safe Streets Halton is a grass-roots organization on a mission to eliminate all traffic-related deaths and serious injuries in Halton, Ontario.