Idling Awareness
You might be wondering what exactly is idling? One is generally considered to be idling when their vehicle engine is on but the vehicle is stopped, such as at a stop sign or a traffic light. What most municipalities target however is unnecessary idling. That is, idling your vehicle while waiting to pick up a friend or family member from school, transit terminals, etc. In such situations, you can turn your engine off while you wait.
The City first launched an idling awareness campaign in 2003. Please click the appropriate link below for a complete list of initiatives that the City has undertaken since then. The link will also lead you to the resources that are currently available to Burlington residents. This includes items that are available free of charge (posters, bookmarks, stickers), those that can be signed out for a two week period (Idle Free Zone banners) and those that can be purchased at cost (Idle Free Zone outdoor metal signs). A wealth of information is also available on the national Idle Free Zone website.
WHAT'S NEW? The City of Burlington first adopted an Idling Control Bylaw in 2004. On April 14, 2009, Burlington City Council approved a staff report that recommended changes to the bylaw to make it more enforceable. The new Idling Control Bylaw 27-2009 came into effect during Environment Week on June 1, 2009. The staff report is available here.