East Gwillimbury, ON, September 15, 2026 — Brian Johns, candidate for Mayor of East Gwillimbury, today announced a plan to make the Town's streets safer and its neighbourhoods more secure, built around re-establishing the Town's Traffic Safety Committee, investing in traffic calming, and strengthening the community's partnership with York Regional Police.
"As our community grows, so does the traffic on our streets," said Johns. "Residents shouldn't have to worry about speeding on the road their kids walk to school on. Safety has to be the first consideration in how we plan and design our roads, not an afterthought when something goes wrong."
Johns committed to re-establishing a municipal Traffic Safety Committee to review resident concerns and recommend solutions, covering not only roads but trails as well, including the growing use of e-bikes and e-scooters. The committee would provide real community engagement touchpoints on issues such as speeding, construction traffic, and road design.
On infrastructure, Johns committed to investing in speed boards, signage, and other capital improvements to reduce speeding, and to reviewing existing street patterns, including options for preventing cut-through commuter traffic in residential neighbourhoods. He said he would work with Regional and municipal staff to ensure safety is the top priority in road design.
Johns also committed to pursuing community safety zone designations in areas where seniors live and gather, not only around schools.
"Speeding doesn't just put kids at risk," said Johns. "I've had residents raise exactly this with me. Where our seniors live, walk, and gather, we should be looking at the same safety measures we put around our schools."
On community safety, Johns committed to establishing a municipal Community Safety Committee to work in partnership with York Regional Police and residents, and to exploring the return of Neighbourhood Watch programs in East Gwillimbury. He would host annual York Regional Police information evenings to strengthen communication between residents and police, and explore an expanded educational series covering topics such as street proofing for children and youth, crime prevention for seniors, protecting personal property, and school zone safety.
"Feeling safe in your home and on your street is fundamental," said Johns. "That comes from good design, real investment, and neighbours and police who know each other and work together."
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