The Turn Lane Was Denied Once; This Time, the Province Is Listening

There are numbers that describe a place, and then there are numbers that define a risk. Outside Kincardine Township-Tiverton Public School, the number is 80—the speed limit in kilometers per hour on the stretch of Highway 21 that runs past the school’s doors. For more than a decade, parents and local officials have been asking the province to change that number. This week, after a four-vehicle collision sent three people to hospital, two with life-threatening injuries, the request has become a demand.

The crash happened just after 3 p.m. Tuesday, at pick-up time, in front of the school that serves children from kindergarten to Grade 2. Melissa Jackson, president of the school’s Home and School Association, arrived to find a scene that left her stomach flipping. “It was a very scary event,” she said. “It was horrific to see”.

The community’s request is specific: drop the speed limit from 80 to 60 kilometers per hour, and add a northbound left-turn lane. Jackson estimates more than 100 vehicles turn in and out of the school laneway each day. Without a turn lane, drivers stopping to turn left into the school are vulnerable to rear-end collisions—exactly the scenario that unfolded Tuesday, according to Jackson, who said the most seriously injured motorist was attempting that turn when struck from behind.

This is not a new concern. A 2025 traffic study recommended both a speed reduction and a turn lane, but the Ministry of Transportation declined. In July, “community safety zone” signs were installed, a designation that gives police enhanced enforcement powers and increased penalties within a 300-meter stretch on either side of the school. But the speed limit remained 80.

After Tuesday’s crash, thousands of people sent letters, texts, and calls to Premier Doug Ford’s office—more than 13,000, according to local officials. By Thursday, the province appeared to shift. A Ministry of Transportation spokesperson said it is “looking at” reducing speed during school hours and making progress on a left-turn lane and oversized signs. Kincardine Councillor Rory Cavanagh said he was told the ministry is now actively reconsidering its position and has committed to reducing the speed limit along Highway 21 and accelerating plans for the turn lane.

“I’m going to keep pushing and pushing until we actually see the items up here on the ground in person,” Cavanagh said. “It’s easy to promise something. It’s much harder to deliver”.

Jackson put it more simply. “It’s not just a school safety issue, it’s a community safety issue,” she said. “We need change, and we need it now”.

The municipality passed a motion Wednesday urging the province to make immediate safety improvements. For the families of Kincardine, the wait continues—but this week, for the first time in years, there is a sign that someone in power is listening.

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Sources: CBC News, CTV News London, Vancouver Island CTV News