28 September 2026
News
Emergency Streets: Spokane, Washington
What would happen if a city truly treated traffic injuries and deaths as preventable and predictable?
The City of Spokane is employing “Emergency Streets” to accelerate safety improvements on roads where people are being seriously injured or killed. It is an example of what can happen when municipalities recognize that traffic violence is not inevitable, and that governments have a responsibility to act before tragedy occurs.
Read more about Spokane’s approach and consider what similar leadership could look like in Ottawa.
30 September: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Much of Vision Zero Ottawa’s work is making the connection between safe infrastructure and positive health outcomes. Across Canada, many Indigenous communities continue to experience disproportionately poor health outcomes linked to inadequate infrastructure, which includes transportation systems.
This National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we encourage our leaders to reflect on Call to Action 19, which calls on governments to identify and close gaps in health outcomes, including injury prevention and tracking. Safer communities begin with equitable investments in the infrastructure that supports health, mobility, and quality of life for everyone.
Upcoming Events
6 October: Bike Day on the Hill
Join us for Bike Day on the Hill Tuesday October 6th.
Register here: Bike Day on the Hill 2026
26 October: Ottawa Municipal Election
This election is an opportunity to hold our city leaders accountable.
Candidates often speak about public safety, yet road crashes remain one of the largest sources of preventable injury and death in our city. When mayoral and council candidates ask for your vote, ask them what they will do to improve road safety, particularly our vulnerable user network. Which brings us to:
Bike Ottawa and ecology ottawa’s Candidate Surveys
Bike Ottawa’s Mayoral and Councillor Candidate Survey and Ecology Ottawa’s All Candiate’s Survey are now underway, but candidate participation remains disappointingly low.
Candidates are actively seeking your vote, so reach back to them to have them complete the surveys. This is our opportunity to have councillor and mayoral candidates statements on road safety, active transportation, on record for the upcoming term.
Week of 1 November: Speaker Series
Stay tuned for details on our next Speaker Series event.
Close Calls Campaign
We’ve collected a significant volume of Close Call reports. Now we need your help transforming that data into stories, maps, evidence, and recommendations that decision-makers can no longer ignore.
Every close call tells a story. Together, those stories can drive meaningful change.
How You Can Help
Messenger
Spread the Close Calls Campaign
Scrolling social media? Share our posts.
Heading out for a walk or ride? Put up Close Call campaign posters at dangerous intersections and community gathering places.
Help us collect the data the City isn’t collecting.
Analyst
Help Process Close Call Data
Review submissions, identify trends, contribute to mapping tools, and help build the evidence base needed to make Ottawa’s streets safer.
Investigator
Join the Council Report Card Team
We’re looking for researchers, writers, editors, and fact-checkers to help document councillors’ voting records, commitments, and actions on road safety issues.
Help us build a credible, evidence-based report card for Ottawa voters.
Support Our Work
Your most valuable donation is your time. If you’re able to contribute financially, your support helps us grow our impact.
Contact us
info@visionzeroottawa.ca
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