50 projects funded in this year's Vision Zero Program
Residents in 50 communities across British Columbia (BC) will soon be able to walk, cycle, and move more safely, thanks to support provided for new infrastructure and traffic-calming measures.
The grants, announced April 23 by the Government of BC, are awarded directly to communities in BC to improve local road safety, make active transportation more accessible, and prevent injuries. In 2025, a total of $794,991 has been distributed to 50 communities. This includes 15 projects in First Nations communities.
Vision Zero funding is provided to local governments, non-government organizations (e.g., school districts, parent advisory councils, road safety advocacy groups, etc.) and Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit) communities and organizations to support projects that increase the safety outcomes of vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists, roadside workers, etc.) by improving the safety of roads.
The BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit (BCIRPU) is responsible for coordinating the Vision Zero Grant Program in the province.
“It takes foresight and recognition to identify a problem in your community and then to try and do something about it," said Dr. Shelina Babul, Director of the BCIRPU. "We’re pleased that these applicants took the initiative to improve road safety in their communities and encourage active transportation in a tangible way.”
This is the fourth year of the Vision Zero Grant Program, a joint initiative between the provincial government, the regional health authorities, First Nations Health Authority, and the BCIRPU. The grants are provided by the Province through the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Transportation and Transit. Additional funding top-ups were provided by the regional health authorities. The Vision Zero Grant Program has funded more than 200 projects totalling more than $3 million in awards disbursed since its inception in 2021.
“Our First Nation is very happy that we have received funding from the BC Vision Zero in Road Safety Grant Program for our Máthxwi Temexw Bus Connector project," said Chief Alice McKay of Matsqui First Nation.
"Many of our members don’t own cars, so having a safe public transportation option for our members will fill a long-time mobility gap for our community—currently the nearest bus stop is a four kilometre walk away along a very unsafe narrow fast road with lots of traffic and no shoulder at all. With this funding secured we can now work with BC Transit, the City of Abbotsford, and other partners to start a transit service pilot project to show that this service is needed and will be used and to get real world learnings about what would make a permanent service successful for our community."
For information on the list of communities receiving funding, view the project summaries (PDF).
To learn more about the Vision Zero Grant Program, visit visionzerobc.ca.
For a detailed list of funded projects, past and present, visit visionzerobc.ca/our-projects.
- distress when a child was in pain and when a family was grieving; and
- sadness in the event they were not able to save a child in their care.
- concern for the injured child and the child’s family;
Particularly traumatic events, such as those involving vivid sights and sounds (e.g., families holding each other and having extreme reactions), stuck with the practitioners, having long-lasting impressions on them and causing them to re-live these events in the years following their exposure.
Even after their shift was over, practitioners said that they changed how they approached parenting and how they perceived safety during play as a result of witnessing these traumatic events. They reported having more knowledge of the causes and consequences of severe injuries, such as those that require hospitalization or emergency care. For example, practitioners were more likely to enforce boundaries around where their children could play, such as by forbidding their child to play near busy streets. They also were more likely to tell their child about safe play environments and equipment, and put this equipment on their child before play, such as explaining the benefits of using helmets while riding bikes.
Practitioners were more likely to enforce boundaries around where their children could play, and use safety equipment, such as bike helmets.
Practitioners also described being concerned about their children’s play near open windows, around large bodies of water unsupervised, and in environments where firearms were present. They also expressed worry about their children’s play on trampolines and on motorized vehicles, such as ATVs. Findings related to trampoline play safety concerns were published in the journal Injury Prevention.
Observing family grief due to child injury or death affected the mental well-being of health care practitioners, drawing attention to the need for mental health supports for those involved in caring for severely injured and dying patients.
"Raise more resilient children through play...watch and see how your child handles challenging tasks without intervening right away." —Dr. Michelle Bauer
Building resilience through play
How can parents help their children build resilience? By letting them play!
The experiences that practitioners witnessed encouraged them to support their children in building resilience through play; specifically, by supporting children in learning to cope with failure, overcome fear, build self-confidence, develop distress tolerance, and regulate negative emotions. Findings related to building resilience through play were published in the journal Child: Care, Health, and Development.
Parents fostered resilience in their kids by:
- helping their kids get back on bikes after they fell off and wanted to try again;
- sitting on their hands so they did not instinctively reach for their children when their children fell down; and
- encouraging participation in challenging and thrilling activities in forests and water while safety equipment was used.
"There are a few ways that parents can raise more resilient children through play that are supported by literature and our study findings," said Dr. Bauer. "One: watch and see how your child handles challenging tasks without intervening right away."
"Two: Ask your child how they want you to help—let them tell you what makes them feel safe and happy during play. Let them lead. And three: make play both safe and exciting by encouraging risk-taking, teaching them how to avoid hazards, and using safety equipment.”
This research was supported through Drs. Bauer’s and Gilley’s receipt of a clinical and translational research seed grant from the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR), Dr. Bauer’s BCCHR postdoctoral fellowship award, and additional training provided to Dr. Bauer through her participation in the Programs and Institutions Looking to Launch Academic Researchers (PILLAR) program through ENRICH, a national organization training perinatal and child health researchers.
Learn more about the study through two infographic posters:
Graphics and posters by Milica Radosavljevic
