Drivers in Aurora could walk away with a free treat this week for simply turning off their engines while parked. As part of the 2026 Idle Free Aurora campaign, town bylaw officers are on the lookout for motorists who practice good habits while waiting at schools, grocery stores, and other short-stop locations.
Running from April 20 through May 4, 2026, the initiative aims to reward positive behaviour rather than issuing fines. Drivers caught turning off their engines while waiting can receive an Anti-Idling Champion ticket, which is redeemable for a free beverage or snack at My Indie Coffee located at Aurora Town Square.
The campaign is part of a larger push by the Town of Aurora to address vehicle emissions, which currently account for 37 percent of the community’s total greenhouse gas emissions. The town has set an ambitious goal to reduce these emissions by 80 percent from 2018 levels by the year 2050.
The town currently maintains an anti-idling policy that limits vehicle idling to five minutes, though there are exemptions for extreme weather conditions or when essential onboard equipment requires power. While the current policy allows for five minutes, the town has previously considered tightening this limit to two minutes to align with neighboring communities.
This latest effort follows the 2021 launch of the Every Second Counts public education campaign. That program helped raise awareness about the impact of unnecessary idling through the use of mobile signs in school zones and bylaw education efforts.
