Even if Ottawa surpasses its coldest temperature ever recorded of -39°C, residents will be prohibited from idling their unoccupied vehicles for more than one minute an hour going forward, barring some exceptions.
The City of Ottawa previously announced that their bylaw changes would come into effect in the new year and can be enforced no matter the season.
The changes come despite the city’s own research showing that residents disagree with the change. The previous research was conducted in May 2024.
The survey highlighted that 164 respondents opposed the new idling bylaw, while 145 said further education and enforcement were required. Only 86 respondents were in favour of a bylaw.
However, a City of Ottawa spokesperson told True North that the response numbers are a summary of the general themes and not the totality of public input received.
“Staff’s recommendations aligned with best practice from other municipalities, with Natural Resources Canada’s model idling by-law (3 A Model Idling Control By-law), and with the City of Ottawa’s Climate Change Master Plan goal of reducing emissions in the transportation sector,” Jerrod Riley, program manager of public policy development told True North.
The new bylaw will change the maximum idling time to three minutes per hour for occupied vehicles when the outside temperature is between 0°C and 27°C. Occupied vehicles’ idling time is 10 minutes per hour when the outside temperature is below 0°C or above 27°C.
Irrespective of temperature, meaning even at 50°C or -50°C, unoccupied vehicles will only be allowed to idle for one minute an hour.
“By reducing unnecessary vehicle idling, we are lowering greenhouse gas emissions and improving Ottawa’s air quality. If every Ottawa driver reduced daily idling in their vehicles by two minutes, carbon dioxide emissions would decrease by about 31.2 million kilograms a year – or, we estimate, the equivalent of removing 6,780 vehicles from our roads,” said the city in a news release.
The new bylaw updates the previous idling control bylaw implemented in 2007, which is unavailable for viewing on the city’s website.
Prior to the update, idling rules were absent on days below 0°C or above 27°C, meaning over half the year, or 200 days, were exempt.
The bylaw will apply to all vehicles operating within city limits.
However, vehicles that do not emit greenhouse gasses while idling are exempt from the bylaw. Mobile workshops, vehicles idling to be repaired, armoured vehicles that are actively guarded, emergency vehicles, public transit vehicles, and more are also exempt.
The bylaw was previously approved in Sept. 2024, following a 15 to 8 vote in council, according to CBC.
“The bylaw would offer exemptions when idling is necessary for health, safety and proper vehicle function, such as when powering mobile workshops, maintaining temperature for medical reasons, and assisting emergency services. Public transit vehicles would be exempt from the bylaw, but other City vehicles would be subject to its requirements,” reads the release.
The city’s previous research highlighted that the most common idling locations were drive-throughs, near schools and daycares, driveways and private properties, and shopping malls, plazas, and grocery stores.
The most common reason for idling was to warm up a vehicle before driving.
The city said that fines for the idling bylaw will be $615 each, including the “victim surcharge.”
Roger Chapman, Director of Bylaw and Regulatory Services, told True North that his department will respond to complaints of idling to take appropriate action and also use complaint history to implement proactive enforcement of the bylaw.
“The City of Ottawa is conducting public education through its website and social media to make residents aware of their responsibilities under the updated Idling Control bylaw,” he said.
True North reached out to the City of Ottawa for comment but received no reply.
