Mississauga’s School Streets improves student safety through temporary car-free zone

The City is doing its part to keep students safe. Two Mississauga schools within the Peel District School Board and Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board will be part of an extended School Streets pilot that temporarily creates a car-free environment in front of a school using barricades and road closure signage.

This pilot creates a safer space for students travelling to and from school, helps reduce the number of trips to school by car and promotes physical activity like walking or cycling. The pilot will start with Corliss Public School for the 2025-2026 school year, with the second school (to be determined) starting later for the 2026-2027 school year.

Benefits of School Streets

Closing the road in front of the school at drop-off and pickup times creates a safer, community-friendly space for those walking and cycling to school. It also helps improve road safety around the school, encourages physical activity through active school travel, reduces traffic congestion, enhances air quality, builds stronger community connections and can provide mental health and focus benefits at school.

Road closures on Corliss Crescent

During the 2025-2026 School Streets pilot, residents, parents/guardians and school staff will not be able to drive directly to Corliss Public School. Corliss Crescent will be closed to vehicle traffic between Darla Drive and Teeswater Road for morning and afternoon bells. This includes all vehicles except for school buses, emergency vehicles and residents who live within the closure area. The pilot at Corliss Public School will take place on all school days from September 2025 to June 2026.

The Mississauga School Streets pilot project is delivered in partnership with Green Communities Canada and funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Learn more about Mississauga’s School Streets Pilot program: mississauga.ca/schoolstreets

Background

About the City’s School Streets Pilot program in 2022

In 2022, the City implemented a School Streets Pilot in Mississauga. It involved two School Streets locations with three elementary schools. Each school participated for three weeks in May and June. The pilot was successful at promoting active travel to school and reducing car traffic during school drop-off and pickup times. The City’s example has since been a point of reference for municipalities across Canada looking to implement their own School Streets.

About the National Active School Streets Initiative

The National Active School Streets Initiative (NASSI) is a program led by Green Communities Canada with several partners across Canada. NASSI is Canada’s largest ever collective School Streets movement, providing 25 Local Partner Organizations with the funding, training, resources, tools, and network necessary to implement School Streets in their own communities. These local partner organizations are in six provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Québec, and New Brunswick. NASSI aims to reach elementary-aged children between ages six to 12, with a focus on low-income, racialized and/or new-to-Canada individuals.

Quotes

“I’m thrilled for Corliss Public School to participate in the extended School Streets pilot. Encouraging students to walk or bike to school will not only help them stay active, but also help foster a strong sense of community by creating a safe space for social interaction and play. I’m looking forward to continuing to work together with the staff, students and parents at Corliss Public School to make sure we’re ready to launch the pilot in September.” – Ward 5 Councillor, Natalie Hart

“We’re excited to be one of the 25 communities across Canada to participate in the School Streets initiative. Many of our school zones face temporary congestion during drop-off and pickup times, which presents traffic dangers, high concentrations of greenhouse gas emissions, and lost opportunities for students to get physical activity and develop the skills needed to travel independently. Implementing this School Streets pilot will be an innovative approach to help us create a space where students can feel more comfortable walking, cycling or rolling to and from school.” – Sam Rogers, Commissioner, Transportation and Works

“We’re proud to see the City of Mississauga’s continued leadership in championing student safety through School Streets. The City’s ambition to scale their previous 3-week pilot to a full school year is commendable, and we look forward to sharing the positive impacts and lessons learned with communities across the country hoping to follow their lead.” – Brianna Salmon, Executive Director of Green Communities Canada

Tags

• Active Transportation
• Public Safety
• Students