Starting in the new year, Ottawa drivers will need to turn off their vehicles sooner while waiting for friends or family to run errands after a revision to the city’s idling bylaw.
Councillors have agreed in an 11-5 vote to reduce idling time from three minutes to one, at a special joint meeting of the Environment and Climate Change and Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services committees.
This 60-second limit could slash 31 million kilograms of carbon dioxide per year, according to city staff, the equivalent to removing 6,780 cars from the roads or planting 14,850 trees. Natural Resources Canada also supports reductions to one-minute idling and staff consulted 1,045 members of the public during a two-year review of the original 2007 idling bylaw.
“I think that any reduction in greenhouse gas emissions counts, and that we should pursue it,” said Knoxdale-Merivale Coun. Sean Devine, who supported the motion.
“Simply by changing the bylaw and effectively communicating that change and the reason for that change, that will accomplish a net-positive effect.”
I think that any reduction in greenhouse gas emissions counts, and that we should pursue it.
Knoxdale-Merivale Coun. Sean Devine
Staff added a five-minute idling limit for occupied vehicles in temperatures below 0 degrees C or above 27 C, so people could still warm and cool their vehicles in different seasons.
Exemptions would remain for non-polluting vehicles, those performing repairs or engine-powered work, responding to emergencies, offering private transit or working on farms. There is also an exemption proposed for public transit. Exemptions would be removed for parades, races and council-authorized events.
Jennifer Humphries, with Community Associations for Environmental Sustainability, welcomed the change but raised concerns that councillors overlooked the educational component the bylaw change.
“The [staff] report indicates that there will be a communications plan using the Ottawa website, PSA, social media,” Humphries said, adding that this is “inadequate” and that physical signs are needed.
“We have funding for signage that warns drivers to slow down for our kids, so while we care about their immediate traffic safety, don’t we also care about their respiratory health?”
Capital Ward Coun. Shawn Menard, co-chair of the joint committee, directed staff to install informational idling signage across Ottawa at a cost of $6,000.
Devine also directed staff to allocate funding to hire two summer student bylaw officers for a “focused enforcement campaign” next year.
Alta Vista Coun. Marty Carr, supporting the motion, emphasized that when the original 2007 idling bylaw was enacted, she started rethinking her own idling habits while driving her toddlers around.
“I would always put them in the car, turn the car on and then load up the stroller and the groceries,” she said. “It changed my behaviour, just the fact that we had an idling bylaw. I wasn’t expecting a bylaw officer to come around and charge me. It was just knowing that behaviours could change.”
The idling bylaw change was opposed by Couns. David Brown (Rideau-Jock), Laura Dudas (Orléans West-Innes), Matthew Luloff (Orléans East-Cumberland), Tim Tierney (Beacon Hill-Cyrville) and David Hill (Barrhaven West).
Brown tabled a motion that would have returned the matter to the drawing board for exclusive discussion by the emergency preparedness committee, but it was not supported.
The new idling bylaw would come into effect starting Jan. 1, 2025, with a $500 fine for non-compliance.
The proposed change will need final approval from full council on Oct. 2.
