Government of Canada navigation bar

Symbol of the Government of Canada

Primary site navigation bar

"Step It Out", Active & Safe Routes to School

Image - school kids

The Green Communities Association (GCA) is a national umbrella group for 42 community-based non-profit organizations that deliver innovative environmental programs and services, with a focus on household and community action. GCA member organizations work together to achieve environmental sustainability, including healthy ecosystems, sustainable resource use, and clean air, water, and soil.

What are they doing?

The GCA's Active & Safe Routes to School (ASRTS) program grew in Ontario from nine communities and 400 schools in 2001 to 19 communities and over 850 schools by the fall of 2003. Demand for the program remains very high with a steady increase year after year, while schools who are participating request activities and ideas that link to curriculum, keep students motivated, and assist them in meeting their school travel plans. The key to its success is its ability to continue to make the program fun for participating students, to provide easy-to-implement curriculum-linked program activities, to link the program to children's safety and health issues, and to advocate for child-friendly streets.

The "Step It Out" Challenge aims to continue the success of the project and increase the participation in ASRTS-related activities including the number of participating students per school as well as increasing the number of days students and their families use active transportation to travel to and from school. It will also help participating schools and communities to meet the goals of the Canadian government's One Tonne Challenge.

The project's goals are:

  1. To increase active travel to school;
  2. To decrease the number of daily trips made to school by car;
  3. To track students' daily physical activity levels through kilometres walked and achieve measurable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

All activities related to this challenge will be linked to the Ontario curriculum and will be provided in both English and French.

Where can you find more information?

Green Communities, Active and Safe Routes to School

Active and Safe Routes to School Logo




Date modified:
2010-07-22