What you need to know
Encouraging active travel to school is part of our Climate Emergency Action Plan. We partnered with the Vancouver School Board to launch our School Streets Program in spring 2021. Since then, six elementary schools have participated in the program.
School Street applications are closed for the 2022-23 school year. Thank you to all schools who submitted an expression of interest. Check back in early 2023 to learn more about the participating schools.
A School Street is a car-free block beside a school open to walking, biking, and rolling during pick-up/drop-off (30 to 60 minutes depending on location).
No motor vehicles are permitted to enter or exit the block when the School Street is in effect but parked vehicles may remain.
School Streets is a popular program in many jurisdictions around the world and has been shown to:
- Create a safer environment for children
- Improve air quality
- Encourage active travel to school and promote independent mobility
- Reduce congestion and vehicle volumes around schools
- Support physical distancing needs due to COVID-19
Program impact
A total of six Vancouver elementary schools participated in the School Streets Program to date.
- School communities reported an increased sense of safety during the program.
- Families also reported an increased use in active travel modes (walking, biking, rolling) when travelling to and from school.
2021-22 highlights:
- 21% of families reported driving less
- 31% of families reported walking more
- 25% of families reported biking more
- 96% of students felt safer on the School Street compared to when there were cars
- 77% of parents want the School Street to continue
