PROTECTING PUBLIC SPACES: A PRACTICAL APPROACH TO HOSTILE VEHICLE MITIGATION
October 18, 2026 | Halifax, Nova Scotia
OVERVIEW
This workshop outlines a practical, scalable approach to Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM), emphasizing how cities can protect public spaces and events from vehicle-related threats (both accidental and intentional) through structured planning, risk assessment, and layered design strategies.
The workshop explains the commonality of vehicle attacks, illustrated by real-world incidents, and defines HVM as a mix of temporary and permanent measures tailored to specific sites. The core framework involves a design cycle starting with site feasibility, followed by physical and information-based risk analyses (e.g., vehicle access points, crowd density, media attention, or vulnerable groups), and culminating in iterative planning with stakeholders like police, emergency services, and municipal departments.
A key concept is the “layering” of mitigation tools (such as barriers, vehicles, signage, and existing infrastructure) combined with the use of softer design principles like deterrence, delay, and deflection when ideal measures are not feasible. This approach ensures threats are mitigated while maintaining accessibility and community usability, particularly under budget constraints.
The workshop emphasizes the need for adaptable, community-conscious solutions, especially for smaller events and spaces, and uses case studies to illustrate how varying risk levels and operational requirements shape mitigation strategies. Ultimately, it reinforces that effective HVM requires a careful balance between safety, practicality, and inclusivity.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Identify key considerations when assisting community partners and organizers with public space or event-related Hostile Vehicle Mitigation designs.
- Understand how to scale best practices and guidelines to support marginalized groups and smaller budgets, establishing practicality as a critical design element.
- Increased comprehension and justification for planning decisions related to risk mitigation in scalable design models.
TRAINER BIOGRAPHY
Michelle McElligott
Senior Specialist, Traffic Management, City of Ottawa
| Michelle McElligott is a Civil Engineer with 15 years of experience in traffic management, event safety planning and emergency management. Michelle began exploring and implementing Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM) solutions in 2017 while planning for a series of major public events, including La Machine—one of the largest and most complex events held in Ottawa in recent decades. This early work helped establish a foundation for integrating HVM principles into large-scale event planning, balancing public safety, operational requirements, and community accessibility. Building on this experience, Michelle collaborated with the Ontario Traffic Council to support the development of Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM) guidelines designed to enhance safety and security at public events across Ontario. Her work has focused on creating practical, scalable HVM solutions that can be implemented by smaller municipalities and local communities with limited operational resources. Michelle is currently collaborating other cities across Canada to advance HVM principles, best practices, and implementation strategies. A sought-after industry speaker, she has presented on Hostile Vehicle Mitigation at numerous professional forums, including the Ontario Traffic Conference (OTC), Ontario Technical Traffic Course & Policing Course (OTTC), Canadian Institute of Transportation Engineers (CITE), and Event Safety Alliance Canada (ESAC). |
Event Safety Alliance Canada We bring people, organizations, and businesses together in the shared mission of making the health, wellbeing, and safety of everyone the priority at Canadian events.
Copyright © Event Safety Alliance Canada 2026 |