DRIVERS, STOP YOUR ENGINES AND JOIN VAUGHAN’S ANTI-IDLING CAMPAIGN

The City of Vaughan today launched a public education campaign at a local school to help reduce smog and improve our air quality by encouraging motorists to reduce vehicle idling. As part of this program, new signage is being posted at municipal facilities, schools, and other idling "hotspots" as a reminder to motorists that Vaughan is an idle-free zone.

"Our message is the City of Vaughan is idle-free, please turn off your engine," said Mayor Michael Di Biase. "We are working with community groups, schools and businesses and asking them to join us and get involved in environmental issues by acting locally. We can make a big difference by simply turning off the car engine when we can and stop wasting our precious resources."

In June, 2004, City Council passed an Anti-Idling bylaw which prohibits the idling of vehicles for more than five consecutive minutes. The original recommendation by the City's Environmental Task Force to enact the bylaw also proposed an ongoing public education effort to raise awareness of the problems of vehicle idling and encourage volunteer compliance.

"Summer can be a particularly difficult season for people with asthma or other respiratory problems that are aggravated by air pollution," said Regional Councillor Joyce Frustaglio, Chair of York Region's Health and Emergency Medical Services Committee and the Environmental Task Force. "Everyone who drives holds the key to cleaner air and better health. We need to make the smog problem a top-of-mind issue."

All City vehicles will have signs posted on them reminding motorists of the Anti-Idling campaign. As well, local cab companies Ace Taxi and Limousine, Astro Taxi, and Minute Taxi have agreed to take part in the campaign.

In addition to the anti-idling signage, Vaughan is distributing windshield stickers and idle-free information. More information on this campaign is posted to the "Major Projects" section of the City's website at www.vaughan.ca, under the "Environment" heading.

"Idle-Free Week in the GTA" is a collaboration between the Clean Air Partnership, Natural Resources Canada, and the City of Vaughan and other municipal members of the GTA Clean Air Council.

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