Sudbury Citizens for Safety

A group of concerned and involved citizens interested in making Greater Sudbury a safer place to live for everyone of all ages. Anyone is invited to be a member. A front page story in the Sudbury Star (Aug. 14th 2017 highlighted our endeavour and received favourable comments - read here. Present members and those that have shown interest listed here. The mandate of the organization is provided below:

Mandate: Sudbury Citizens for Safety Committee:

Sudbury Citizens for Safety is a local non-government volunteer organization dedicated to all aspects of safety in an effort to reduce and prevent death and injury in whatever form it might take in all aspects of everyday life, physical and mental, regardless of age, in and outside the home, whether walking, cycling or driving or taking part in leisure activities. We act to serve as a credible third party in our commitment for safety for all residents of our community and to improve quality of life. We endeavor to work with all other groups and organizations with similar objectives and all levels of government to achieve our mandate

Safety is implied in a number of portions of everyday life including but not limited to:

· Individual & collective health

Collective conditions that are proposed or implemented with the potential to place individual health at risk (i.e. salt contamination in area lakes used for drinking water).

· Individual & collective physical impact

Collective conditions that are proposed or implemented with the potential to cause physical harm (i.e. road use policies).

· Individual & collective welfare

Collective conditions that are proposed or implemented with the potential to cause life style harm either individually or collectively (i.e. playground, parks, etc.).

· Property value and sustainability

Collective conditions that are proposed or implemented with the potential to cause changes to property values and/or sustainability of property values (i.e. industrial locations, commercialization, etc. resulting in deterioration of quality of life).

· Individual & collective financial

Collective conditions that are proposed or implemented with the potential to cause negative financial impact either individually or collectively (i.e. relocation of services out of the area or withdrawal of services, etc.).

· Economic sustainability and growth

Collective conditions that are proposed or implemented with the potential to cause result in deteriorating economic conditions, promote growth at the expense of economic sustainability on an individual or collective basis (i.e. facilities designed to drain disposable income from the community).

All of these can have major impact on the risk/benefit situation for individuals or the community at large and can be considered the mandate of “Sudbury Citizens for Safety”

Meetings quarterly or as required, and general correspondence by e-mail.

All members can be identified as “spokespersons” for the organization.

A meeting was held with a representative of the Sudbury Roads Committee (Feb. 14th 2018) and several concerns were presented and are available for review: photo radar and red-light cameras here electronic signs here Salt mitigation strategies here

A report on the meeting here

Our latest news bulletin below:

Winter - Spring 2024Action Update

Road Safety: The results are in and they are encouraging with red light cameras reducing incidents and photo-radio cameras have reduced speeding plus being profitable as was orgionally predicted. There is still concern over winter road and sidewalk maintance. It is encouraging that the city has adopted our recommendation that both red light and photo-radar cameras ar3e now or will be implemented. Red light cameras are already in operation with photo radar to be in place later this year. Winter road maintenance continues to be a concern of most citizens with road repair and maintenance also top of the list with pot holes much in evidence.

Winter - Spring 2024 Action Update

The city instituted on several sections of urban roads a lower salt use endeavour which appeared to be successful with the "pickled" sand (5 percent salt) appearing to clear the road of snow and ice almost as well as using just salt. The use of stop light cameras has according to city reports is working well. The use of photo radar has just begun in selected locations and effectiveness use is still to be determined. Some citizens upset (the speeders likely). A program to make sidewalks safer during the winter season saw some improvements.

Winter - Spring 2023 Action Update

Road Safety: It is encouraging that the city has adopted our recommendation that both red light and photo-radar cameras ar3e now or will be implemented. Red light cameras are already in operation with photo radar to be in place later this year. Winter road maintenance continues to be a concern of most citizens with road repair and maintenance also top of the list with pot holes much in evidence.

The Greater Sudbury Watershed Alliance has suggested to the city that all new or expanded road work be "paused" for consideration that such construction would result in more road salt entering the watershed of Lake Ramsey, drinking water for approximately 50,000 city residents. Check out www.gswa.ca

Summer 2022 Action Update

Coronavirus: Several "waves" have been experienced and caution is well advised and all public health warnings should be observed and "booster" shots are advised going forward.

Updates:

Road Safety: Most motorists would agree there are more potholes than in previous years. It is not just the damage to vehicles that is a concern but driver avoidance of the many potholes that exist that can effect driving and possibly cause collisions, but the abundance of the potholes does seem reduce speeding! Line lane markings and other painted indicators on road surfaces need to be maintained and we are pleased to see bike lanes on many of our city streets and off road travel sources as well. The city appears to be doing a better job in removing winter sand from the roadways earlier that in past years to make the roadways safer. The city had authorized and installed red light cameras and a trial number (2) of photo radar to help reduce speeding on many of our roadways which would assist police who endorse these devices.

Water Safety: Water: is essential to human existence and health: We have abundance in Greater Sudbury but cannot take this resource for granted and must protect and preserve for present and future generations. We endorse the work of the Greater Sudbury Watershed Alliance in this endeavour. Their website is www.gswa.ca. Subwatershed studies have been completed and can be accessed on the city website. . Of particular interest in the report is reference to concerns of future development in the watershed including the proposed KED project on the Kingsway (see attached) which would include an arena which has now been rejected by city council by a decision on July 12rh of 2022. .

These are indeed challenging times as we evaluate many aspects of our lives. A valuable local resource to check out is www.liveablesudbury.org