Épisodes

  • Episode 7 - Intersections in Road Safety

    Episode 7 - Intersections in Road Safety
    Nov 14 2023
    Over the past 6 months you have heard from experts in the fields of sustainable cities, physical activity, accessibility, the environment, and multi-modal transportation, discussing how interconnected all these topics are to road safety.

    In this episode, we explored some of these intersectoral connections and the importance of collective action in creating safer urban roads.
    • Road can be reimagined for different purposes at different times of the day. This creative approach allows communities to use the space for non-traditional activities. For example, at the beginning and end of the school day, roads in front of schools are blocked off to traffic so kids have space to move safely as they arrive and leave school.
    • Roads are one of the largest public spaces cities have – any historically they have been narrowly assigned for vehicle use.
    • Initiatives that allow us to be creative, open the roads for multiple road users, and think about all ages and abilities makes for more vibrant and sustainable communities.
    Listen and subscribe to Change For Good Roads on Apple, Spotify or wherever you catch your favorite podcasts!

    Want to learn more about why it’s crucial to improve road safety in Canada? Check out parachute.ca/VisionZero and sign up for our Vision Zero network to receive news and resources so you can lead Change for Good Roads.
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    22 min
  • Episode 6 - Global Perspective

    Episode 6 - Global Perspective
    Oct 10 2023
    In this episode we take a step back and explore the Global perspective on road safety as key components of healthy, active, and safe urban roads. There are a range of evidence-based frameworks and interventions that guide global efforts toward safer, healthier, and more sustainable roads. The Global Plan for the second Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030 was launched Oct. 28, 2021, by the World Health Organization. This Global Plan acts as a guiding document to support the implementation of the Decade of Action, which has the ambitious target to reduce road traffic deaths and injuries by 50 per cent by 2030. These evidence-informed frameworks provide us with strategies for improved road safety, such as speed reduction measures, promotion of multi-modal transportation, urban planning methods and road design solutions. The implementation of this globally supported harm reduction framework is an important step toward achieving safer urban roads.
    • We know what works. There is a global movement focused on advocating for and implementing effective interventions that reduce death and injury from road crashes.
    • By 2030, the goal of the Decade of Action for Road Safety is to reduce road traffic deaths and injuries by 50 per cent.
    • Tools and resources are available for non-governmental organizations (NGOs), individuals, and governments that provide information on what changes are needed, how to make these changes, and how to track progress.
    Listen and subscribe to Change For Good Roads on Apple, Spotify or wherever you catch your favorite podcasts!

    Want to learn more about why it’s crucial to improve road safety in Canada? Check out parachute.ca/VisionZero and sign up for our Vision Zero network to receive news and resources so you can lead Change for Good Roads.
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    29 min
  • Episode 5 - Multi-Modal Transportation

    Episode 5 - Multi-Modal Transportation
    Sep 12 2023
    Today we are going to dig deeper and explore the importance of multi-modal transportation as a key component of healthy, active and safe urban roads.

    Multi-modal transportation is particularly interesting due to its shared goals and benefits not just for climate action, but also for public health, the local economy and, unsurprisingly, road safety. The Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030 promotes multi-modal transportation as an approach to make our roads safe. As advocates push for multi-modal transportation and there are increased numbers of pedestrians and cyclists on the road, it’s important to consider the implications these systems also have for the road safety of vulnerable road users.

    • Road safety, healthy active living, and climate change solutions have commonalities, meaning that if we positively impact one area, we are driving change for all areas.
    • Roads have been used by pedestrians far longer than cars and other motorized vehicles, but today multi-modal road users like pedestrians and cyclists are seen as a secondary priority. All road users have a right to be safe and use our roadways.
    • Getting out of your car to walk or bike allows for a more personal experience of your environment and the opportunity to meet and interact with people on the street.


    Listen and subscribe to Change For Good Roads on Apple, Spotify or wherever you catch your favorite podcasts!

    Want to learn more about why it’s crucial to improve road safety in Canada? Check out parachute.ca/VisionZero and sign up for our Vision Zero network to receive news and resources so you can lead Change for Good Roads.
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    25 min
  • Episode 4 - Physical Activity

    Episode 4 - Physical Activity
    Jun 13 2023
    In this episode we explore the importance of active transportation, which contributes to physical, mental, and social well-being, and are key components of healthy, active, and safe urban roads.

    Improving road safety contributes to a “road safety dividend”, or a surplus of positive outcomes that contribute to global health and well-being. Road safety improves when we reduce motor vehicle traffic through strategies such as improved access to public transit, dedicated bike infrastructure, walkable and more connected neighbourhoods, and slower, more controlled traffic: all these provide other benefits to communities. What does this mean? Well, changing our urban built environments to support and encourage walking for transportation positively impacts physical activity, mental health, chronic disease, and injury. Increases in active transportation in urban communities can contribute to a reduction in air pollution which affect the overall health and well-being of communities. Greater walkability and active transport opportunities in urban areas can also improve economic development, with pedestrians having greater access to local businesses and enterprises.
    • There are ways to integrate physical activity into your day, and some of the easiest ways is to look at active transportation options to get to and from work, school, and play.
    • The physical environment you live and travel in can impact your ability to walk, cycle, or use public transportation.
    • Active transportation, the opportunity to get physical activity while moving from point A to point B, is important for physical and mental health, and social connectedness, but it’s also good for the environment. Safe spaces to walk and cycle increase people’s choices to use these options.
    ParticipACTION’s Dr. Leigh Vanderloo joints host Pamela Fuselli for an in-depth discussion.

    Listen and subscribe to Change For Good Roads on Apple, Spotify or wherever you catch your favorite podcasts!

    Want to learn more about why it’s crucial to improve road safety in Canada? Check out parachute.ca/VisionZero and sign up for our Vision Zero network to receive news and resources so you can lead Change for Good Roads.
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    24 min
  • Episode 3 - Accessibility

    Episode 3 - Accessibility
    May 9 2023
    On this episode we discuss the importance of mobility for all, and the accessibility of urban spaces as key components of healthy, active, and safe urban roads.

    While we recognize the complexity of this issue, changing the culture around how we design and use streets, roads, and other public spaces to be more accessible and inclusive to other road users beyond drivers will improve road safety. For urban roads to be truly accessible, they must be inclusive, safe, and usable for all. Traditionally, accessibility has referred to people with differing levels of mobility or disability, road safety experts emphasized that this must be extended to include gender, cultural backgrounds, socioeconomic status, geographies, as well as a variety of other factors that can make road users vulnerable. In urban design and the built environment, collaboration with communities and facilitation of interest group involvement in planning and design should reduce systemic barriers to safe roads for everyone.
    • Accessibility is about more than physical barriers: we need to think also about how accessible our communities are based on gender, socio-economic status, age and more.
    • Poorly maintained roads and sidewalks in the winter months mean many people who do not drive cannot move in their communities: clearing of sidewalks and transit pick-up spots must become a higher priority.
    • Challenges on our roads have a disproportionate negative impact on vulnerable people in our communities.
    Director of the Center on Aging at the University of Manitoba and a fellow of the Gerontological Society of America, Dr. Michelle Porter, joints host Pamela Fuselli for an in-depth discussion.

    Listen and subscribe to Change For Good Roads on Apple, Spotify or wherever you catch your favorite podcasts!

    Want to learn more about why it’s crucial to improve road safety in Canada? Check out parachute.ca/VisionZero and sign up for our Vision Zero network to receive news and resources so you can lead Change for Good Roads.
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    26 min
  • Episode 2 - Environment

    Episode 2 - Environment
    Apr 11 2023
    Road safety measures have a broad impact on urban communities, with a wide range of benefits ranging from economic and environmental to equity and health. Today we are exploring the impact of our transportation system on the environment and our global climate as key components of healthy, active, and safe urban roads.

    In Canada, the transportation sector is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and 53 per cent of transport emissions come from passenger vehicles, such as cars and light trucks (Government of Canada, 2020). Increases in active and multi-modal transportation in urban communities can contribute to a reduction in air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and noise pollution, which affect the overall health and well-being of communities, locally and globally. By promoting and making multiple forms of transportation available, urban road users can make a shift to using alternative, safer and more environmentally friendly transport options such as walking, cycling, wheeling and public transit.
    • The conversation is changing. The links between transportation modes, the climate, physical and mental health, and road safety are better known that 10 years ago. These links are beneficial because many solutions in one area, positively impact the other areas.
    • We don’t have to start from scratch. Examples of jurisdictions where they have successfully made the shift to more environmentally friendly transportation options and safer roads for all users are available. While some immediately come to mind, like Paris, there are many others cities that are doing really innovative and effective things.
    • Cities have realized that their transportation choices play a critical role to their economic development success; providing more transportation choices to people. If cities want to attract and retain talent and, and thus employers, they have to provide these options.
    Urban planning expert and leader of TODERIAN UrbanWORKS, Brett Toderian, joints host Pamela Fuselli for an in-depth discussion.

    Listen and subscribe to Change For Good Roads on Apple, Spotify or wherever you catch your favorite podcasts!

    Want to learn more about why it’s crucial to improve road safety in Canada? Check out parachute.ca/VisionZero and sign up for our Vision Zero network to receive news and resources so you can lead Change for Good Roads.
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    25 min
  • Episode 1 - Sustainable Cities

    Episode 1 - Sustainable Cities
    Mar 14 2023
    Economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable cities are key components of healthy, active and safe urban roads.

    Safe, healthy, and sustainable urban roads are only possible if we treat the underlying issues as a complex problem, one that involves not only urban planning, but also public health, engineering and other sectors, and retains a focus on inclusion, equity, sustainability, community and more. There are a range of evidence-based frameworks and interventions that guide global efforts toward safer, healthier, and more sustainable roads. The Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030 promotes the Safe System Approach and Vision Zero and sets targets and goals to guide us to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Through cross-sectoral collaboration, organizations and individuals would be able to make our cities both safer for all road users and healthier for all citizens.


    • Sustainable cities are ones that not only address transportation and the environmental impact, but also the social and economic aspects to sustainability.
    • Change is hard. Involve communities early in discussions about changes that will make their neighbourhoods and cities more sustainable to explore the rationale for changes, learn about their ideas, concerns and questions about sustainability.
    • Road safety is part of sustainable cities for two reasons. The first is that by improving the safety of roads for all road users, it will result in more people walking, biking and taking public transport. The second is by reducing transportation by motorized vehicles, greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced.
    Former City Councillor for the City of Toronto Mike Layton joins host Pamela Fuselli for an in-depth discussion.

    Listen and subscribe to Change For Good Roads on Apple, Spotify or wherever you catch your favorite podcasts!

    Want to learn more about why it’s crucial to improve road safety in Canada? Check out parachute.ca/VisionZero and sign up for our Vision Zero network to receive news and resources so you can lead Change for Good Roads.
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    28 min
  • Welcome to Change for Good Roads

    Welcome to Change for Good Roads
    Mar 1 2023
    Change for Good Roads is a limited-term podcast that will bring together some of the best thinkers in Canada to discuss, what are “Good Roads”? How do we change how we move in our cities to benefit community, environment, sustainability, health and equity?

    Change for Good Roads will be hosted by Pamela Fuselli, President and CEO of Parachute, Canada’s national charity dedicated to injury prevention and a leader in Vision Zero, a road-safety framework that has as its goal no serious injuries or deaths on our roads. She’ll be joined in each episode by a leading thinker from a multitude of disciplines – sustainable cities, equity, accessibility, physical activity, mobility and road safety – to explore the importance of rethinking our urban environments and the steps we need to take to make good roads for all.

    Change for Good Roads is made possible through the generous support of our road safety partner, Desjardins Insurance, and can be found anywhere you listen to podcasts, such as Apple or Spotify. Make sure to use the hashtag #ChangeforGoodRoads when you share the podcast with others on social media. We launch Tuesday, March 14, 2023 and will release new episodes on a monthly basis, on the second Tuesday of the month, for the rest of 2023.

    Learn more about Vision Zero at parachute.ca/visionzero. Change for Good Roads is produced by Story Studio Network www.storystudionetwork.com.
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    3 min