Speed limit proposal rejected by Vancouver council would have saved lives, group says

A group advocating for safe streets says it's disappointed with Vancouver city council's direction to not reduce speed limits on busy streets downtown.

A group that advocates for safe streets says it’s disappointed with the ABC majority on Vancouver city council for rejecting a staff recommendation they believe would have saved lives.

The recommendation was part of a report titled “Vision Zero Safe Mobility Plan,” which featured a series of measures aimed at curbing traffic fatalities and serious injuries—including reduced speed limits in some areas.

When the report was presented Tuesday, ABC Coun. Peter Meizsner tabled a successful amendment to remove that proposal.

“I truly believe that we need a balanced approach that advances transportation, traffic safety in Vancouver while supporting mobility in all of its forms,” he said.

The recommendation would have reduced speeds from 50 km/h to 40 km/h or 30 km/h in the downtown core on streets such as Robson, Denman, Davie, Water and Alberni.

According to the report, about 90 per cent of traffic fatalities and injuries occur on major streets.

Around 50 people spoke to council during Tuesday’s meeting, all in support of the report.

Mihai Cirstea, a volunteer with Vision Zero Vancouver, called Meizsner’s amendment unacceptable—calling decreased speed “the biggest factor in saving lives.”

“We went in with low expectations, but we were shocked at how kind of crass and thoughtless they were with putting that amendment in,” he said.

OneCity Coun. Lucy Maloney, who said the report stemmed from a motion she tabled in 2025, was disappointed with the amendment as well.

“Staff confirmed that lowering speeds in these areas is good for business, good for safety, and good for giving kids and seniors the freedom to have independent lives,” she said.

At the meeting Paul Storer, the city’s director of transportation, said the decreased speed limits wouldn’t have impacted driving time by a considerable amount.

“There’s a meta study, I think of about 40 European cities that have lowered speed limits, and they saw a big reduction in fatalities, reduction in noise, and only saw a three to five per cent increase in travel time, so a minute or two on a trip,” Storer said.

In July 2025, council voted to drop the speed limit on what the city calls “minor” streets to 30 km/h.

On Wednesday, ABC posted on social media about the decision, saying: “While the non-ABC parties on council wanted to lower speed limits on major arterial roads to 30 km/h and 40 km/h, ABC chose to stand with commuters and residents. Speed limits must be driven by common sense, not ideology. Let’s keep Vancouver moving forward.”

Cirstea disputed this characterization.

“Saving lives is not ideology,” he said. “Saving lives is common sense.”