Municipal and provincial transportation infrastructure projects are subject to the environmental assessment process, affording an opportunity to review and comment from a public health perspective.

As part of the municipal development proposal application process, municipal planning departments may request a number of transportation-related studies, the most common of which is a transportation impact study. The plan of subdivision (if required) will contain information about roads, sidewalks and bike lanes, as well as potentially the positioning of parks, schools, shops and residences. The site plan will also have transportation implications on a smaller scale, including the positioning of walkways, entrances and exits, and parking. Traditionally these documents have focused on facilitating car access and throughput, through such features as front door pick up/drop off zones, generous turn radii, wide lane widths, and signal re-timings. There is an opportunity, however, to create significant change in the built environment and the health of our communities through the development review process by advocating for better-placed schools, prioritized, safe access to bike parking, continuous sidewalks and other features that facilitate active transportation. Because the development proposal process falls under land use planning, comments should reference the Provincial Policy Statement and the growth plans, with which all municipal land use planning decisions must align.