Stanley Park’s horse-drawn trolley is a tragic accident waiting to happen.

Let the Park Board know you support removing the trolley

In 2016, horses pulling a tram full of tourists through Vancouver’s famous Stanley Park were spooked by traffic. The frightened animals bolted off the roadway, crossing a bike path and smashing a park bench before nearly taking the tram over the seawall.

Stanley Park horses spooked by car horn take tourists on wild ride

Some tourists in Vancouver’s Stanley Park went for an unexpected ride after a pair of horses pulling a carriage were spooked during an anti-pipeline protest. The carriage was stopped for protesters when a car sounded a horn and scared the horses. The animals jumped the curb, pulling the carriage into a bench and throwing one woman off.

Fortunately, no horses or people were seriously hurt, however, such incidents could easily occur in the future. Stanley Park’s horse-drawn tram is a tragic accident waiting to happen.

Being surrounded by motor vehicle traffic forces horses to inhale toxic exhaust and causes them mental distress, which can make the animals unpredictable and potentially dangerous to park pedestrians, cyclists and motor vehicles. There are also concerns about traffic being slowed in the lane currently allocated to motor vehicles, leading to motorists unsafely passing the tram in the lane allocated to cyclists.

Many cities, including Montreal, have banned such vehicles. It’s time for Vancouver to do the same.

The Vancouver Humane Society and UBC Animal Justice have sent a letter to Park Board Commissioners calling on them to end the horse-drawn tram in Stanley Park and put the safety of the horses, cyclists, and motorists first.

You can help prevent a tragic accident from happening – sign the petition now.

Say no to horse-drawn trolleys in Stanley Park