ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITY: Safe Speeds

July 2, 2019

YIMBY Winnipeg’s mandate involves the recognition that “planning and city policy needs to fosters the creation of walkable and accessible for all ages and abilities neighbourhoods where people can live, work and play”.

A new group, Safe Speeds Winnipeg, has goals in line with our mandate. They want to bring people back to our streets through safety improvements.

ABOUT SAFE SPEEDS WINNIPEG

Safe Speeds Winnipeg is campaigning for safer speed limits on residential streets in Winnipeg, including necessary infrastructure investments to make this happen. Research shows that there’s a 9 in 10 chance of a pedestrian surviving a hit froma vehicle at 30 km/hr, but this drops to 1.5 in 10 for speeds of 50 hm/hr.

This fall, Winnipeg has the opportunity to enact new, safe speeds in our neighbourhoods. Safe Speeds Winnipeg is mobilizing to get this done.

Safer speeds throughout our neighbourhoods is key to creating more accesible and walkable communities. Infrastructure design along with enforcement of safer speeds also addresses many of the “increased traffic” concerns opponents of infill have. Enacting safer speeds can help lessen opposition to infill, thereby leading to development and neighbourhood growth even more friendly to walkability and accessibility. The two goals of mixed-use densification and safer speeds reinforce each other and reinforce our vision of a better Winnipeg.

If you would like to get involved in the campaign for safer speeds, you can …

  • Visit safespeedswpg.com
  • Sign the petition online
  • Send a letter to your councillor
  • Use the resources in the safespeedswpg toolkit to engage your networks
  • Tell your story! Why do safe speeds matter to you? Why do safe speeds matter at all?
  • Attend and invite people to our upcoming pop-up events (to be determined by Safe Speeds organizers).
  • Tell your story at, or attend these upcoming City of Winnipeg meetings:

1. Executive Policy Committee Meeting: July 9, 9am. If you would like to speak to EPC about why safe speeds in Winnipeg are important to you, email cityclerks@winnipeg.ca or call 311 to register.

2. Council: July 18th, 9:30am