The City of Courtenay is moving forward with its development of a five-year capital planning and framework for the Safe and Active School program following Council’s decision to advance long-term school-area safety improvements. Building on the program’s first-year findings and early successes, the framework will guide the prioritization and delivery of infrastructure, education, encouragement and enforcement measures that support safer travel to and from school.
Delivered in partnership with School District No. 71 and supported by regional and provincial partners, the Safe and Active School program identifies traffic safety concerns around schools, examines barriers to walking and cycling and develops measures that improve safety while encouraging active transportation for students and families.
“Creating safer routines to school is an investment in our children, our families and our community,” said Mayor Bob Wells. “Council’s decision to proceed with developing a five-year implementation framework demonstrates our commitment to making it easier and safer for students to walk, bike and roll to school while ensuring these improvements are planned and delivered in a thoughtful, coordinated way.”
The program’s first year included technical reviews, community engagement and site-specific assessments at Courtenay Elementary School, Valley View Elementary School and École Puntledge Park Elementary School. Feedback from school communities identified concerns related to traffic speeds, pedestrian safety, cycling connectivity and accessibility, while showing strong support for continued investment in safer school travel.
Recommendations developed through the process include traffic calming measures, intersection upgrades, protected cycling facilities, raised crossings, curb extensions, pathway improvements and enhanced pedestrian infrastructure. The program also incorporates education initiatives, active transportation promotion, collaboration with partners such as ICBC and targeted enforcement activities to address unsafe driving behaviours in school zones.
During the program’s first year, the City and its partners completed several early improvements, including a back-to-school driver awareness campaign, deployment of speed reader boards, school-zone pavement marking upgrades, pedestrian crossing improvements and enhanced coordination with RCMP enforcement efforts. The Arden Active Transportation Bridge project also improved connectivity for several school communities.
The next phase will focus on turning school-specific recommendations into a coordinated implementation plan.
City staff will work with School District No. 71, the RCMP, Bylaw Services and technical consultants to refine project scopes, estimate costs, identify partnership opportunities and establish delivery timelines for priority improvements.
The Safe and Active School program supports Council’s strategic priorities related to road safety, active transportation, accessibility, municipal infrastructure and partnership-based governance.
More information about the Safe and Active School program will be shared as implementation planning progresses, via courtenay.ca/safe-and-active-schools.