Go for Green … … encourages outdoor physical activity that protects, enhances, or restores the environment. … works with organizations, businesses, governments at all levels, and community groups Active Living Environmental Citizenship

Go for Green programs Active Transportation In the Workplace In the Community Commuter Challenge Active & Safe Routes to School Ice Dreams Trails Canada Gardening for Life Winter Green Green Prescription

Health Environment Transportation Air Pollution Green Spaces Greenhouse Gases Walking and cycling infrastructure Land use planning Low dose physical activity Healthy active population

Transportation Active Transportation includes … walking, bicycling wheel chairing in-line skating skateboarding skating skiing Short trips - less than 30 mins (2.5 km of walking, 8 km of cycling) modes all modes of transportation that require human power

What are the issues? The personal health of Canadians is being compromised by physical inactivity.  Two thirds of all Canadians are not physically active enough to achieve health benefits. (Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute, 1999 and 2002) Physical Inactivity The health of our environment is in danger from the negative impact of our current lifestyles.  92% believe that environmental problems will affect the health of future generations. (The 2003 International Environmental Monitor: GlobeScan Inc ) Health of the Environment

Source: Center for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Eurostat, Public Health Statistics (from Eurobarometer 44-3). Obesity rate by Country

Source: Pucher and Dijkstra, “Promoting Safe Walking and Cycling to Improve Public Health: Lessons from the Netherlands and Germany,” American Journal of Public Health, September 2003, Vol. 93, No. 9, pp

Does auto-dependency make us fat? Obesity falls sharply with increased walking, cycling, and transit use. Source: Pucher and Dijkstra, “Promoting Safe Walking and Cycling to Improve Public Health, Am Journal of Public Health, September 2003.

Business Case for Active Transportation Created as a follow-up to the first National Roundtable on Active Transportation hosted by Go for Green Outlines the economic, environmental and health benefits of walking and cycling

Target Currently 6.6 % of Canadians walk to work and 1.2 % cycle, a combined total of 7.8 % (Statistics Canada 2001 Census) Recommended increase of mode share to 10.4 % for walking and 4.8 % cycling for a combined total of 15.2 % (current mode share for Victoria, B.C.)

Total Economic Benefits Total economic benefits of active transportation at the current levels (7.8%) are estimated at $3.5 billion dollars per year. If active transportation mode share for all of Canada increases to 15.2%, the direct benefits would increase to 7.0 billion dollars per year.

Enhanced Health and Reductions in Health Care costs Improved health and reduced health care costs associated with physical inactivity, air pollution and bodily injuries caused by motor vehicle accidents Health care costs would be reduced by $480,144,000 annually

Competitiveness of the Economy Improved competitiveness of our economy through reduced traffic congestion costs, and improved workplace productivity measures. Anticipated $616,380,000 contribution to our economy.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions If we reach an Active Transportation mode share of 15.2% an equivalent of 3.3 million tonnes of CO2 are not emitted into the atmosphere annually.

One Tonne Challenge Each commuter who switches to Active Transportation could achieve nearly two-thirds of the individual goal set under Environment Canada’s “One Tonne Challenge” (a reduction of 0.64 tonnes annually).

Reductions in Air Pollution Each 1% of automobile travel replaced by Active Transportation decreases motor vehicle air pollution emissions by 2% to 4%.

Total Environmental Benefits The environmental benefits of using active transportation including reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, water pollution and noise would total $636,272,000 annually.

Automobile User Savings Total user savings for fuel, repair, maintenance and parking of automobiles would total $1,995,136,000.

Tourism and Bicycling Bicycle sales and bicycle tourism currently account for $637,168,000 annually. The projected value of this industry would be in the billions of dollars annually.

Conclusion Many countries have significantly higher levels of Active Transportation use indicating much room for growth in Canada especially in cycling. A major barrier is the lack of safe, convenient facilities. Legislation to promote and support Active Transportation at all levels is critical. The economic benefits realized with a modest increase in mode share are enough to support increased government investment in Active Transportation.

How Can You Help? Ensure that any national communication and social marketing campaigns developed within the Pan- Canadian Healthy Living Strategy contain messages encouraging people to choose forms of Active Transportation over the car to get to routine destinations. Support the development of a National Active Transportation Strategy. Include Active Transportation images and messages in the proposed national “Physical Activity and Food Guide”.