‘A Little Goes a Long Way’ – Celebrating BC’s Vision Zero Grant Program
By:
Ian Pike, Ph.D., University of British Columbia; BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute; BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit
Emily McCullogh, Ph.D., York University (Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Science)
Abstract
Vision Zero is a road safety policy goal aiming to achieve zero fatalities or serious injuries across all forms of road transportation. It is based on the philosophy that serious injuries and fatalities are predictable and preventable. Achieving this ambitious goal requires a Safe System Approach, which is a comprehensive framework that accounts for the limited capacities of road users and requires changes to road transportation systems to reduce road-related injuries and deaths. Vision Zero has been adopted in several countries and cities across the globe; however, in Canada it has only been adopted at the provincial (British Columbia and Manitoba), municipal, and regional levels. BC’s Vision Zero in Road Safety Grant Program is the first of its kind in the Canadian context, which distributes small grants ($5000-$20,000) for infrastructure and road safety projects to small, rural, remote and Indigenous communities. Made possible by governmental partnerships and funding from the Ministry of Health (MoH), Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI) and regional health authorities, the Vision Zero Grant Program empowers local communities to identify road safety concerns, helps enact road safety changes, and works towards reconciliation with Indigenous governments and peoples. The following article provides an overview of Vision Zero, broadly, and BC’s Vision Zero Grant Program, specifically, with examples from previously funded projects and updates on the current cycle. Sharing this exciting work will hopefully inspire the adoption of Vision Zero and the Safe System Approach not only within other provinces and regions, but also on a national scale.
Introduction
Vision Zero is a road safety initiative that has become widely known and applied across Canadian provinces and municipalities (1). Achieving the ambitious goal of zero fatalities or serious injuries necessitates a “Safe System Approach that considers the mental and physical capacities of humans and creates road transportation systems designed to effectively reduce the risk of injury and death caused by crashes” (2 paragraph 1). Central to the Vision Zero philosophy is collaboration across various sectors such as public health, transportation, and non-profit organizations (3) (4), to name a few, as well as integration across different policy agendas and government agencies (5). Further, the Safe System Approach to road safety recognizes the multifaceted nature of road safety as a public health issue, which includes the following components: roads, speeds, road users, land use planning, post-crash care, and vehicles (3). An example of successful implementation of Vision Zero and the Safe System Approach in Canada is British Columbia’s Vision Zero in Road Safety Grant Program (6). Given the theme of the upcoming CARSP conference, Safe Mobility: Achieving Vision Zero in Rural and Urban Environments, the following overview and update on the Vision Zero work in BC is timely, and has the potential to inspire the adoption and implementation of similar Vision Zero road safety programs across Canada.
What is Vision Zero?
Adopted by the Swedish Government in 1997, Vision Zero is an innovative approach to preventing road and traffic injuries by changing the structure and function of the road transportation system (7). Unlike traditional approaches that focus on educating road users to address road safety concerns, Vision Zero “considers the mental and physical capabilities of humans and creates road transportation systems designed to effectively reduce the risk of injury and death caused by crashes” (8). Further, the Safe System Approach to road safety recognizes that, “the transportation system must be designed to accommodate human vulnerability and error” (8 paragraph 3), and recognizes that road safety components, namely road design, speeds, road users, land use planning, post-crash care, and vehicles, are interconnected (3) (9). In other words, the Safe System Approach can be understood as a contract between road users and the system designers, where road users behave within the limits of the system and the system designers construct road systems that support road users’ safety (10). Further, the most recent global plan, Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030, released by the WHO (5), called for governments and related partners to implement a Safe System Approach because “road safety should not be approached as a stand-alone issue but as an integrated component of many different policy agendas” (p7). It calls for the sharing of transportation safety between users and system designers (9), and that “government, health professionals, road designers, and road users work together to implement proper safety measures” (6 paragraph 4).
Vision Zero has also been adopted and implemented at varying levels in other countries such as Norway (11), the Netherlands (12), Germany (13), Poland (14), and Australia (15); however, this list is not exhaustive. Further, results have varied with Norway, the Netherlands, and Germany seeing a reduction in the number of road crash fatalities, while initial attempts in Poland and Australia have seen no changes. This illustrates that the contexts in which Vision Zero is applied, as well as the level of adoption (e.g., regional, municipal, provincial, national), significantly impacts its success as a road safety strategy.
Vision Zero in British Columbia
British Columbia’s Vision Zero in Road Safety Grant Program (hereafter the Vision Zero Grant Program) is the first of its kind in the Canadian context. Launched in 2021, the program provides funding for road safety improvements to local and Indigenous community governments, as well as non-governmental organizations (NGOs), with a focus on reducing the number and severity of injuries and deaths for vulnerable road users (VRUs), which include anyone on the road or highway who is not in a motor vehicle (e.g., pedestrians, cyclists, people riding electric mobility devices, and roadside workers). In addition, the Vision Zero Grant Program prioritizes projects supporting the road safety goals of under-resourced, small, rural, remote communities, and also promotes partnerships between NGOs and local governments. BC is one of two provinces (BC and Manitoba) that have adopted Vision Zero at the provincial level (1) and the Vision Zero Grant Program exemplifies the provincial government’s commitment to achieving “zero fatalities or serious injuries on the road” (16 paragraph 1).
The Vision Zero Grant Program is the result of collaborative efforts between the BC Government, the British Columbia Injury Research and Prevention Unit (BCIRPU), the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA), and the five local health authorities (HAs): Fraser Health; Interior Health; Island Health; Northern Health; and Vancouver Coastal Health. Its goal is, “to support local communities across British Columbia to achieve Vision Zero and make travelling around one’s community safe and equitable” (6 paragraph 2). The Vision Zero Grant Program would not be possible without the partnership between, and financial support from, BC’s Ministry of Health (MoH), Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI), and five regional health authorities. Generous contributions from these government and health agencies have enabled the awarding of community-based grants intended for low-cost, evidence-informed interventions with the goal of short and long-term benefits. Such projects include small infrastructure projects (e.g., crosswalks) and road safety education campaigns (e.g., safe routes to school).
How does the Vision Zero Grant Program work?
BC’s Vision Zero Grant Program is built upon the successful program previously administered by Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health authorities in 2020-2021 (6). While this initial program was not province-wide, it provided lessons and learnings for the provincial launch of the Vision Zero Grant Program in 2021-2022, and subsequent cycles 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 (currently underway).
As noted above, the Vision Zero Grant Program provides opportunities for small, rural, remote, and Indigenous communities to collaborate with a local partner (e.g., municipality, NGO, school district, road safety advocacy groups, Indigenous Friendship Centres, etc.) to apply for small grants ($5000-$20,000) to support road safety projects in their communities. Aligning with the Province’s efforts to meaningfully engage in reconciliation practices with Indigenous populations by working with Indigenous governments in a government-to-government relationship, the Vision Zero Grant Program has two dedicated funding streams (6):
- Stream #1 – is for the design and installation of low-cost infrastructural improvements (temporary [pilot] or permanent changes) to roadways.
- Stream #2 – funds projects that are led by Indigenous communities and governments, which means Indigenous communities can set and direct their own road safety priorities.
For projects in both streams, funds can be used to support engineering costs and/or local government administrator approval for construction-related projects, as well as enacting policies that address VRU safety.
Members of a Vision Zero Working Group are responsible for adjudicating and distributing the Vision Zero Grant Program funding, comprised of representatives from each health authority, the FNHA, and the BCIRPU. To be considered and awarded funding, projects must focus on improving the safety of VRUs and align with the Safe System Approach principles of safe roads, safe road users, safe speeds, and creating safe environments. Projects typically fall under one of the following categories: 1) pedestrian safety; 2) cyclist safety; 3) speed reduction; and 4) education and awareness. Larger funding amounts are more likely to be considered for projects benefiting a large number of people and for projects with secured partnerships that offer additional financial contributions. In all cases, grant proposals must also include an evaluation component, whereby the applicant(s) show how they will evaluate the success of the road safety intervention. Once awarded, successful applicants are responsible for submitting a mid-term and final evaluation report describing the implementation journey and demonstrating the success of the intervention. Administrators of the Vision Zero Grant Program provide ample guidance to applicants as they craft their application, with the goal of building grant writing capacities amongst members of small, rural, remote, and Indigenous communities.
Vision Zero Grant Program Update
Since its inception, the Vision Zero Grant Program has awarded roughly $1,500,000 to fund a total of 103 projects, including 36 Indigenous road safety projects. Some examples of Stream #1 projects include:
Windebank Elementary School Community Road Safety (Mission Public School District – Fraser Health)
Solar Powered Signalized Crosswalk (City of Williams Lake – Interior Health)
École Océane Raised Crosswalk (City of Nanaimo – Island Health)
Walk Safer (Wrinch Memorial Foundation Society – Northern Health)
Speed Reduction Initiatives (City of North Vancouver – Vancouver Coastal Health)
Some examples of Stream #2 projects include:
Leq’á:mel First Nation Road and Pedestrian Safety (Leq’á:mel First Nation – Fraser Health)
Disability Accessibility (Eliza Archie Memorial School – Interior Health)
Lekwungen Lane & Ned Williams Rd Signage (Songhees Nation – Island Health)
Saulteau First Nations Playground (Saulteau First Nations Community – Northern Health)
Community Bus Stop Shelter (Nuxalk Nation – Vancouver Coastal Health)
The full list of funded projects can be found at www.visionzerobc.ca/projects. The current application cycle opened October 16, 2023 and closed January 15, 2024. Applications are in the adjudication phase and funds were awarded in March 2024.
The Future of Vision Zero – National Adoption?
Road safety is first and foremost a public health issue (17), with data clearly showing the devastating impact that unsafe roads and road systems have on people’s lives in Canada (18). BC’s Vision Zero Grant Program is an example of coordinated efforts at the provincial level to reduce road-related injuries and deaths. The Vision Zero Grant Program not only exemplifies the positive impacts of governmental and health agency partnerships, it also provides accessible ways for communities to get involved in road safety within their local municipality in ways that educate, inspire, and empower.
As noted above, Canada has yet to adopt Vision Zero at a national level (1), despite consistent messaging and efforts by Parachute (Canada’s leading national charity dedicated to injury prevention and Vision Zero) and other regions, municipalities, and provinces that have benefited from its adoption. It is important to note that the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA) adopted Vision Zero in their Road Safety Strategy 2025, but only as an aspiration and without targets to be achieved by a particular date (19). Thus, it is our hope that in sharing this overview of BC’s Vision Zero Grant Program, along with examples of successful projects, we may move closer to national adoption, helping to ensure that all road users are safe when travelling throughout Canada.
References
1. Parachute. Vision Zero Map [Internet]. 2022. Available from: https://parachute.ca/en/program/vision-zero/vision-zero-map/
2. Canadian Association of Road Safety Professionals. Vision Zero and the Safe System Approach [Internet]. 2023. Available from: https://carsp.ca/en/news-and-resources/road-safety-information/vision-zero-and-the-safe-system-approach/
3. Transport Association of Canada. Vision Zero and the Safe System Approach: A primer for Canada [Internet]. 2023. Available from https://www.tac-atc.ca/sites/default/files/site/doc/publications/2023/prm-vzss-e.pdf
4. World Health Organization. Decade of action for road safety 2011-2020: Global Launch [Internet]. 2011. Available from: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/82578/WHO_NMH_VIP11.08_eng.pdf
5. World Health Organization. Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030: Global Plan [Internet]. 2021. Available from: https://www.who.int/teams/social-determinants-of-health/safety-and-mobility/decade-of-action-for-road-safety-2021-2030
6. British Columbia Injury Research and Prevention Unit. Vision Zero BC: About us [Internet]. 2024. Available from: https://www.visionzerobc.ca/about
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8. Canadian Association of Road Safety Professionals. Vision Zero and the Safe System Approach [Internet]. CARSP News and Resources. 2022, Nov 8. Available from: https://carsp.ca/en/news-and-resources/road-safety-information/vision-zero-and-the-safe-system-approach/
9. Government of Sweden. Renewed commitment to Vision Zero: Intensified efforts for transport safety in Sweden [Internet]. 2016. Available from: https://www.government.se/articles/2016/10/renewed-commitment-to-vision-zero---intensified-efforts-for-transport-safety-in-sweden/
10. Elvik R. What would a road safety policy fully consistent with safe system principles mean for road safety? Accident Analysis & Prevention. 2023 Dec 1;193:1–7.
11. Elvik R. Vision Zero in Norway. In: Björnberg KE, Hansson SO, Belin MÅ, Tingvall C, editors. The Vision Zero Handbook: Theory, Technology and Management for a Zero Casualty Policy. Springer Nature; 2023. p. 295–306.
12. Wegman F, Aarts L, van der Knaap P. Sustainable Safety: A Short History of a Safe System Approach in the Netherlands. In: Edvardsson Björnberg K, Hansson SO, Belin MÅ, Tingvall C, editors. The Vision Zero Handbook: Theory, Technology and Management for a Zero Casualty Policy [Internet]. Cham: Springer International Publishing; 2023 [cited 2023 Nov 9]. p. 307–36. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76505-7_12
13. Hell W, Bodewig K, Hammer U, Kellner C, Klinke C, Mück M, et al. Vision Zero in Germany. In: Edvardsson Björnberg K, Hansson SO, Belin MÅ, Tingvall C, editors. The Vision Zero Handbook: Theory, Technology and Management for a Zero Casualty Policy [Internet]. Cham: Springer International Publishing; 2023 [cited 2023 Nov 9]. p. 337–57. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76505-7_13
14. Jamroz K, Romanowska A, Michalski L, Żukowska J. Vision Zero in PolandPoland. In: Edvardsson Björnberg K, Belin MÅ, Hansson SO, Tingvall C, editors. The Vision Zero Handbook: Theory, Technology and Management for a Zero Casualty Policy [Internet]. Cham: Springer International Publishing; 2020 [cited 2023 Nov 9]. p. 1–40. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-23176-7_14-1
15. Cockfield S, Healy D, Harris A, McIntyre A, Cavallo A. The Development of the “Vision Zero” Approach in Victoria, Australia. In: Edvardsson Björnberg K, Belin MÅ, Hansson SO, Tingvall C, editors. The Vision Zero Handbook: Theory, Technology and Management for a Zero Casualty Policy [Internet]. Cham: Springer International Publishing; 2020 [cited 2023 Nov 9]. p. 1–33. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-23176-7_17-1
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18. Parachute. Potential lost, potential for change: The cost of injury in Canada 2021 [Internet]. 2022. Available from: https://parachute.ca/en/professional-resource/cost-of-injury-in-canada/
19. Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators. Canada’s Road Safety Strategy 2025 [Internet]. 2016. Available from: https://roadsafetystrategy.ca/web/road-safety-strategy/files/public/docs/RSS-2025-Report-January-2016-with%20cover.pdf
Bios
Ian Pike: Dr. Ian Pike is a Professor of Pediatrics at The University of British Columbia; Investigator and Co-Director of the Evidence to Innovation Research Theme at the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute; Director of the BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit, and Co-Executive Director and Spokesperson for The Community Against Preventable Injuries – a not for profit injury prevention social marketing organization. His current research is focused on the determinants of injury, including deprivation and risky play; linkages between unintentional and inflicted injury including firearm injuries; child passenger safety; fire-related injury prevention; the relationship of COVID-19 policies and injury; and, the efficacy of a social marketing campaign to reduce serious injury and death.
Emily McCullogh: Dr. Emily McCullogh is a postdoctoral researcher at York University in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Science working under the supervision of Dr. Alison Macpherson (York University) and Dr. Sarah Richmond (Public Health Ontario). Her doctoral work was conducted in the fields of sociology and philosophical ethics and examined care and caring within coach-athlete relationships in youth competitive sport; however, her research scope has expanded to include injury prevention, road safety, and implementation science. Upon completing her PhD she joined a pan-Canadian research team dedicated to reducing road-related injuries and deaths, as well as promoting active transportation. Her ongoing work focuses on accessibility, equity, and the built environment, as well as system-based approaches to safe mobility in Canada.