Niagara Region updates on back-to-school safety, community safety zones and automated speed camera rotation

August 28, 2025

The 2025-2026 school year starts Tuesday, September 2 and communities will be experiencing increased foot and road traffic. The Niagara Region is taking this opportunity to remind road users to be aware and extra cautious as students and families make their way to and from school.

The Niagara Region reminds motorists, pedestrians and active transportation users to follow the rules of the road to ensure everyone’s safety.

Motorists: Adhere strictly to posted speed limits. Eliminate distractions, particularly mobile phones, and exercise extra caution at intersections and crosswalks.
Community Safety Zones: Many schools are situated within designated community safety zones. These areas are clearly marked with signs outlining their boundaries and the legal speed limits. More information is available on the Niagara Region website.

With students back in school, it’s important to note several changes Niagara Region has made this year to make the transportation network safer.

In the spring, a series of transportation measures were approved to improve the safety of the Regional road network. These changes include creating clear criteria for when speed limits should be reduced in school zones, moving to consistent and constant speed limits at all times of the day in most school zones, improving signage and introducing additional traffic calming measures.

These changes were most recently introduced in the eight locations where automated speed enforcement will be in place from early September through December 2025. The new locations are:

Grimsby - Livingston Avenue between Roberts Road and Patton Street
Lincoln - Victoria Avenue between Frederick Avenue and King Street
Niagara Falls - Thorold Stone Road between Stanley Avenue and Rolling Acres Drive
St. Catharines - Glendale Avenue between Pelham Road and Caroline Street
St. Catharines - Niagara Street between Carlton Street and Scott Street
St. Catharines - Pelham Road between Glendale Avenue and First Street Louth
Welland - Rice Road between Quaker Road and Woodlawn Road
West Lincoln - Townline Road between Harvest Gate and Canborough Street

Additional Niagara Region road safety initiatives include adding leading pedestrian intervals to traffic signals and adding pedestrian crossovers.

For more details about automated speed enforcement, visit Niagara Region's website.

All of these measures are part of the Niagara Region’s Vision Zero plan, which is aimed at eliminating traffic fatalities and injuries on the Regional road network.

Together, let’s make this back-to-school season safe for everyone.

Media contact

Jason Misner
Senior Communications Specialist
Niagara Region
905-980-6000
jason.misner@niagararegion.ca