Transportation

Priorities

• Supporting community groups to audit neighbourhood walkability and pedestrian safety
• Addressing gaps in Rural Transportation
• Advocating for changes in OC/Para Transpo services that support seniors and persons with disabilities
• Advocating for changes in hospital parking that increase accessibility & affordability
• Supporting the Gotta Go Campaign to ensure access to washrooms in public spaces
• Reaching seniors with information about transportation options

Current Highlights

The Snow Mole Report 2022: How Safe is Winter Walking in Ottawa?

The Snow Mole Campaign is an Age-Friendly winter project of the Pedestrian Safety & Walkability (PS&W) Sub-committee of the Ottawa Seniors Transportation Committee (OSTC) of the Council on Aging of Ottawa (COA).

The PS&W Sub-committee collaborates with the City of Ottawa and neighbourhood volunteers (mostly older adults) across the city to organize a unique annual winter walking project.  The Snow Mole Campaign is the only annual winter-walking audit project in Canada – and possibly in the world!

The Snow Mole Campaign now in its fifth year, continues to ask pedestrians to answer the question:  How safe and walkable is Ottawa in the winter?

The answers come from volunteer pedestrian Snow Moles in rural, suburban, and central neighbourhoods during the January to March campaign.  Their answers to a short online questionnaire give a clear description of winter walkability in Ottawa and raise awareness of pedestrian safety issues.  The analysis of audit answers leads to recommendations for positive improvements to city infrastructure and changes to city operations and policies.

The Snow Mole Report 2022: How Safe is Winter Walking in Ottawa? gives an update to previous reports with data analysis, trends, findings, and photos; adds prioritized recommendations for public safety as well as improvements to snow and ice clearing policies and practices; and predicts some new challenges for the 2023 Campaign.

Tips for Winter Walking

There is nothing like taking a walk to enjoy the beauty of the season – and walking is one of the best ways to keep healthy. On the other hand, winter can be a challenging time of year to get out an about. Here are some tips for safer walking outdoors in winter.

Sub-Committees

• Pedestrian Safety and Walkability – audits in areas within the city and advocates for changes to make walking safer for seniors and people with disabilities or mobility issues
• Older Drivers – provides information about safe driving for seniors through brochures, information sessions and education
• Rural Transportation – identifies innovative approaches to respond to rural seniors’ transportation needs
• Community Transportation Information Events – plans, promotes, organizes and participates in events to raise awareness of seniors’ transportation choices & challenges

Committee Membership

• Chaired by the COA
• Seniors and interested members from the community representing rural and urban Ottawa
• City of Ottawa: OC Transpo & Para Transpo;  Ottawa Public Health, Strategic Community Initiatives, Safer Roads Ottawa
• Eastern Ottawa Resource Centre
• Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre
• MS Society of Canada, Ottawa Chapter
• Champlain Community Support Network; Champlain Community Transportation Collaborative
• South-East Ottawa Community Health Centre
• Stroke Survivors Association of Ottawa