NO CARS ALLOWED: Safer spaces to be created for kids at 2 Mississauga schools 

Cars will be kept away from student drop-off and pickup areas in front of two Mississauga schools at certain times of the day under an extended pilot project aimed at making roads safer for kids.

Starting in September and continuing until school lets out this time next year, a “temporary car-free environment” will be established in front of Corliss Public School in Malton as part of a national School Streets pilot study in which the City of Mississauga is participating.

The trial run, which seeks to “create a safer, community-friendly space for those walking and cycling to and from school,” will continue during the 2026-27 school year when a yet-to-be-determined Catholic school in Mississauga will participate.

At both schools, car-free environments will be created at drop-off time in the morning and pickup time in the afternoon using barricades and road closure signage in front of the schools, the city said.

“This pilot creates a safer space for students travelling to and from school, helps reduce the number of trips to school by car and promotes physical activity like walking or cycling,” city officials said in a news release on Friday.

Kids will be able to walk or cycle to school more safely as part of an upcoming pilot program in Mississauga.

Closing the road in front of schools at drop-off and pickup times “also helps improve road safety around the school, encourages physical activity through active school travel, reduces traffic congestion, enhances air quality, builds stronger community connections and can provide mental health and focus benefits at school,” the city added.

For the school year starting this September, residents, parents/guardians and school staff will not be able to drive directly to Corliss Public School, located on Corliss Crescent near Darcel Avenue and Morning Star Drive, during the specified morning and afternoon time periods.

Corliss Crescent will be closed to vehicle traffic between Darla Drive and Teeswater Road (see map below) for morning and afternoon bells, city officials said.

“This includes all vehicles except for school buses, emergency vehicles and residents who live within the closure area,” they added.

Map shows area where cars will not be allowed at certain times of the day.

Mississauga Ward 5 Coun. Natalie Hart welcomes the pilot project.

“Encouraging students to walk or bike to school will not only help them stay active, but also help foster a strong sense of community by creating a safe space for social interaction and play,” she said.

Sam Rogers, Mississauga’s commissioner of transportation and works, said the city is one of 25 communities across Canada participating in the extended School Streets initiative.

“Many of our school zones face temporary congestion during drop-off and pickup times, which presents traffic dangers, high concentrations of greenhouse gas emissions and lost opportunities for students to get physical activity and develop the skills needed to travel independently,” he said. “Implementing this School Streets pilot will be an innovative approach to help us create a space where students can feel more comfortable walking, cycling or rolling to and from school.”

The Mississauga School Streets pilot project is delivered in partnership with Green Communities Canada and funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

In 2022, the city took part in a School Streets pilot in Mississauga that involved three elementary schools for three weeks in May and June.

That initiative proved successful, city officials said, prompting them to support Mississauga’s involvement in the extended pilot to begin in September.

(All photos/images: City of Mississauga)