Vision Zero

Between 2018 and 2022, there were 1,430 injury-related collisions in Guelph. This is unacceptable and preventable.

Vision Zero is a strategy to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads to zero.

The concept originated in Sweden in the 1990s. Sweden now has some of the lowest rates of roadway fatalities and injuries in the world. Vision Zero has since been adopted in more than 20 cities across Canada. It's part of our  Strategic Plan  and  Transportation Master Plan  here in Guelph.

Vision Zero's core principles are:

Vision Zero is achieved by taking a safe systems approach. This means there are more things we can do, beyond changing an individual’s behaviour, to ensure roads are safe for all.

The City of Guelph will work with community partners and use a safe systems approach to reach Vision Zero.

Our approach will be evidence-informed, data-driven, and equitable and will proactively prioritize marginalized neighbourhoods.

To better understand what that means, let us start by looking at Guelph’s collision data in detail.

Understanding where collisions occur and how collisions impact people in different ways matters if we are to create effective actions to reduce severity.

Collisions trends and road safety concerns from our community inform three Vision Zero priority areas: vulnerable road users, high-risk locations, and high-risk driving.

Taking a safe systems approach means taking action at multiple levels. The City of Guelph is actively upgrading existing policies while pursuing new and effective changes to our roadways.

Here are some of our Vision Zero actions:

Guelph’s Vision Zero Action Plan is driven by evidence, data, equity, and importantly – you!

•  Visit the Vision Zero page  to read more about our initiatives, latest updates, and how you can get involved to make our roads safer.
•  Explore the Collision Dashboard  to understand where collisions are happening and the  Key Actions  page to see what we are doing about it.
•  Request a Slow Down lawn sign , available for every household in Guelph. Lawn signs remain an important part of communicating that road safety is important to all Guelph residents.
•  Ask the City to install a temporary radar speed sign . Speed signs remind us of what a safe speed feels like.
• Share this page and start a conversation about safe streets in Guelph.

Have more questions about Vision Zero? Send us your questions or request this information in an accessible format by contacting us at 519-822-1260 extension 3414, TTY 519-826-9771, or email to traffic@guelph.ca.