Third party would need to fund, accept liability to close roads in front of schools during pick-up and drop-off times: City

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The City of Ottawa says neither city staff nor the Ottawa Police Service have the resources to manage a proposal to close roads to vehicle traffic in front of schools during pick-up and drop-off times, known as “school streets,” but a properly insured third party could potentially operate such a program.

A “school street” is aimed at creating a safe corridor to encourage active transportation choices, such as walking or biking. It typically involves temporary barriers erected to keep motor vehicle traffic off the road while children are arriving at or leaving school.

The idea is included in the council-approved Transportation Master Plan, which says piloting a school streets program could support safe, active trips to school.

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A feasibility study into the idea found that the City of Ottawa could not reasonably operate such a program itself, either through city staff or the Ottawa Police Service, and that only a select number of schools would be eligible.

“Based on this review, it appears that fewer than one in five school locations meet criteria related to the appropriate roadway conditions and/or road network connectivity,” said a memo from Traffic Services director Krista Tanaka.

“The review also determined that staff do not currently have delegated authority to implement or approve these types of short-term but reoccurring closures, and that funding is not available to cover the costs and resources required to implement School Streets effectively and safely. Ottawa Police also do not have the required resources to support this program.”

Staff say school streets should not be implemented on arterial, major collector, or collector roads, key emergency routes, transit routes, school bus routes or at designated school bus loading and unloading zones, roads with speed limits greater than 50 km/h, or roads providing the only roadway frontage for the school. Staff also say school streets should only be considered for elementary or intermediate schools.

The idea was not completely ruled out, but comes with several operational requirements, including trained staff managing the closure, maintaining emergency access, adjusting to seasonal conditions, such as winter weather and snow clearing, and allowing access for school staff, local residents, and service providers.

Since the city would not operate such a program itself, staff say a third party could be brought in, pending approval by city council.

“The city, through a stand-alone agreement with a third-party proponent such as a local non-governmental or non-profit organization, could support one-off School Street initiatives. Under this arrangement, the third-party would lead the planning and coordination of the School Street initiative, secure the necessary funding, manage the location selection process, assume all associated liability, and operate the closures,” Tanaka wrote.

“The agreement would include insurance and indemnification requirements and would clearly set out the responsibilities of the parties. The third-party proponent would assume primary responsibility for day-to-day management of the initiative, coordination with relevant stakeholders, compliance with safety and regulatory standards, and adherence to any conditions stipulated by the City of Ottawa.”

Tanaka said similar programs have been undertaken in Montreal, Kingston, Calgary, and Winnipeg.

“Allowing a third-party proponent to administer initiatives offers a viable opportunity to promote active transportation and enhance student safety near schools in eligible Ottawa neighborhoods, while allowing staff to collect valuable data to inform future policy decisions,” Tanaka wrote.

“Staff have previously been approached by a third‑party proponent expressing interest in leading a School Streets initiative, suggesting the feasibility of this model in Ottawa.”

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Tanaka did not say which third party has approached the city to express an interest in leading a school streets program. The memo also did not identify which schools would fall within the eligible criteria staff have laid out.

In 2024, EnviroCentre partnered with the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA) to study the feasibility of school streets in Ottawa that laid out several recommendations for operating a program.

“Should School Streets be implemented, some key recommendations include establishing a delegated authority to close School Streets, identifying an organization with expertise and project management experience to lead School Streets projects, identifying an organization willing to acquire liability insurance for School Streets closures, and acquiring funding to support the coordination and operation of School Streets projects,” the report says.