Active Transportation is a national Go for Green program that encourages Canadians to choose active modes of transportation, like walking, cycling, or roller blading, that contribute to a cleaner environment and improved personal health.

Environmentally-friendly prizes awarded in Teletrips commuter survey draw

Chairman of Teletrips, Guy Nelson, was in Ottawa on Monday, October 27, awarding prizes to winners in the Teletrips commuter survey draw. Teletrips, a major national sponsor of the annual Commuter Challenge event, is a company that helps create, implement and manage public-private partnership programs to reduce commuter congestion, improve air quality, and reduce energy consumption.

Proceedings to the National Roundtable on Active Transportation

The National Roundtable on Active Transportation took place April 9 – 10, 2003 at the Wakefield Mill, Wakefield, Quebec (20 minutes north of Ottawa). The Roundtable was coordinated by Go for Green with support from Health Canada. It brought together over 31 participants from federal, provincial and municipal government departments, NGOs and corporations to discuss collaborative approaches to developing national policies, provincial/territorial and municipal strategies and programs that will support and advance active transportation in Canada.

ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION Community Solutions for Climate Change, Health and Transportation

Go for Green presentation to the ftanding Committee on Finance (2002 Pre Budget Consultations) in Montreal, November 7, 2002.

Ideas for Planning Greenways and Trails for Healthy Lifestyles

Did you know…

there are more than 14 million cars on Canada’s roads. Each travels an average of 16,000 kilometres and pumps out more than 4 tonnes of air pollutants a year.

Active Transportation alternatives are being addressed through a large number of community projects done in partnership with delivery partners in every province and territory. One of dozens of examples of successful community initiatives is Go for Green’s Active & Safe Routes to School program. This initiative seems to have struck a timely chord with school groups across the country who are registering for the program and requesting information and resources to undertake this initiative.

Go for Green’s Role

Go for Green’s approach to Active Transportation is consistent with the New Vision of Urban Transportation, and six of the decision making principles for transportation identified by the Transportation Association of Canada. The focus is to build awareness and community infrastructure, ultimately supporting lifestyle changes.

Go for Green is committed to acting as a catalyst for community, provincial, and national action in the area of Active Transportation, as part of the sustainable transportation issue. Go for Green has delivery partners in every province and territory and works with more than 1,000 communities. Partnerships include organizations in the planning, transportation, recreation, health and environment sectors, as well as Health Canada and Environment Canada.

Nationally, a significant amount of energy has been placed on encouraging the development and retrofitting of built environments which provide safe, secure and inviting venues, allowing Canadians to choose Active Transportation.

Success Stories

In 1994-95, Go for Green, in partnership with the Canadian Cycling Association, CP/RA, and provincial delivery partners spearheaded efforts to encourage the inclusion of cycle lanes and pedestrian facilities in all road construction undertaken through the Canada Works infrastructure program. Due to these efforts, and those of progressive communities across the country, over $297 million (5% of the total $6 billion spent) was invested in facilities for walking and cycling. There was however great regional disparity in this spending.

In the fall of 1996, Go for Green presented four specific recommendations in a brief to the Standing Committee on Transportation, which communicated the place of infrastructure for Active Transportation in the context of the relationship between transportation, trade, and tourism. These recommendations were shared with the Minister of Health, and the Minister of the Environment, and were supported in a separate presentation by CAPHERD.