October is Pedestrian Safety Month. As daylight hours shorten this fall, the City and Peel Region are reminding all road users to be aware and stay alert when using roads to prevent collisions. As part of International Walk to School Month, the City is also encouraging students to walk and use other forms of active transportation as a healthy and fun way to get to school.

“It’s getting darker earlier, which makes it harder to see on our roads. I urge all road users to stay extra cautious and alert this time of year, especially from evenings into the early morning. Whether you’re walking, cycling or driving, remember to pay attention,” said Geoff Wright, Commissioner, Transportation and Works. “If you’re driving, be aware of the posted speed limit and watch for pedestrians and cyclists, especially when turning. To help increase your visibility, use designated crosswalks or crossrides to cross the road if you’re walking or cycling, and use lights and reflectors on your bike. It’s important that we all work together to help achieve Vision Zero.”In 2021, the City launched its first Vision Zero Action Plan with 99 actions to help reach the Vision Zero goal of zero fatalities and serious injuries due to collisions on roadways in the city. This year, the City has implemented many initiatives to help increase safety for pedestrians and all road users including:

• Implementing Pedestrian Head Start Signals and Bike Head Start Signals to give pedestrians and cyclists a five-second head start to cross the street.
• Continuing to install pedestrian crossovers in neighbourhoods to help increase safety for pedestrians crossing the road. Drivers must stop if a pedestrian is in the crosswalk.
• Lowering speed limits from 70 km/h to 60 km/h on City roadways.
• Installing Slow Streets as temporary traffic-calming devices to remind drivers to slow down and be aware of other roads users.
• Continuing the School Walking Routes Program to encourage active travel like walking, biking, using a wheelchair or other mobility devices, to and from school.
• Continuing the School Crossing Guard Program with crossing guards at more than 160 locations to help elementary school students safely cross the road.

“Pedestrian Safety Month highlights the importance of making safer choices when walking, cycling, and driving. Together with our municipal partners, we share common messages to help keep our community safe and encourage all road users to practice extra caution when travelling,” said Kealy Dedman, Commissioner, Public Works at Peel Region. “By reinforcing these essential messages, we are reminding all road users of the need to work together to improve road safety and help support the Vision Zero goal of reducing injuries and fatal collisions on Peel roadways.”

Walk to School Month

October is also Walk to School Month in Mississauga. Students and their families are encouraged to join the One Walk a Week challenge. As part of the challenge, students can try walking or rolling to or from school or their bus stop at least one day more per week than they do normally. Those who participate can go online and complete a digital certificate to share their accomplishment on social media using the hashtag #WalktoSchoolSauga.The City is encouraging all students and their families to walk or bike to and from school. If you live farther from the school, consider parking five to 10 minutes away from the school and walking the rest of the way. Walking or biking promotes healthy lifestyles, reduces traffic congestion and lowers carbon emissions.

SCOOP THAT POOP!

It’s all about responsibility – As good dog owners, we should set a good example by being courteous and law abiding by leashing, licensing and picking up after our dogs.

There is no excuse for not picking up after your dog. It is not fertilizer, it does not break down quickly, it pollutes our water and it causes harm to humans and the environment. Neglecting to pick up after your dog could mean that someone else picks it up…under their shoes. Respect your community and clean up after your dog to keep Mississauga safe and enjoyable for everyone.

DID YOU KNOW?

Dog waste is not recyclable. Place it in a waste container designated for dog waste or take it home and dispose of it responsibly.

Dog waste is not fertilizer – it does not break down naturally. Dog waste takes months to break down, is highly acidic and can harm the soil, killing grass and plants.

Dog waste contains E-coli bacteria and other parasites that are harmful to humans and animals. Diseases can be transmitted by contact with dog waste. Dog waste contaminates beaches and other public spaces, posing serious health hazards to children playing nearby and to other people and animals.

Dog waste can contaminate the water supply. When it rains, dog waste soaks into groundwater and into storm sewers which flow to nearby streams and watersheds, affecting our drinking water and making swimming areas unsafe.

Dog waste can attract wildlife. Dog waste can attract coyotes into residential neighbourhoods and parks, which can lead to pet conflicts and nuisance behaviour.

It’s the law. You can be fined for not picking up after your dog. If you think no one is watching, remember that almost everyone has a camera (including those on smartphones). If you observe someone in your neighbourhood not picking up after their pet please report it by contacting 905-615-3200 extension 2425.

As per the Animal Care and Control By-law 0098-04, as amended, Part VII, Section 25) subsection 1) Every owner of an animal shall remove forthwith any excrement left by the animal on any property including highways. Failing to do so carries a maximum penalty of $100,000.

KNOW WHERE IT GOES!

The average dog produces 274 lbs of pet waste per year, with roughly 60,000 dogs in Mississauga -that’s 16.4 million lbs of pet waste per year!

Dog waste contains high levels of nitrogen, phosphorous, E-coli bacteria and other parasites that are harmful to humans, other animals and the environment. Pet waste left on the ground washes into the stormwater system and pollutes our water too!

Picking up pet waste protects our community health and environment! Clean up after your dog and keep Mississauga safe and enjoyable for everyone.

SCOOP YOUR POOP

Pet waste is carried by rain into drainage ditches and catch basins into our local creeks and rivers and is one of the PRIMARY sources of WATER POLLUTION

Keep our water clean and pick up your pet waste

Learn more here: https://www.mississauga.ca/services-and-programs/home-and-yard/stormwater/stormwater-and-your-home/

You can help improve water quality and your local ecosystem by simply scooping your dogs poop!

How does pet waste end up in our local water systems and cause harmful damage to our environment?

• Pet waste is carried by rain through street gutters and catch basins into our local creeks and rivers and is one of the PRIMARY sources of WATER POLLUTION
• Dog waste does NOT break down on it’s own
• It is NOT a natural fertilizer and can throw off the balance of an ecosystem
• Disease-causing bacteria and parasite can spread to OTHER DOGS and spread easily through our waterways to reach Lake Ontario, where it depletes the oxygen that fish and other water-based life need to survive

Picking up your pet waste benefits other dogs, water quality and our overall ecosystem!