School Travel Planning
in Canada
Jacky Kennedy
Director, Canada Walks
Green Communities Canada
Canadian TDM Summit 2009
School Travel Planning
in Canada
STP in Canada / History
What is STP / Benefits
Pilot Results
Summary
CST Guideline 1
In transport and land-use planning, the needs
of children and youth should receive as
much priority as the needs of people of
other ages and the requirements of
business.
Progress in Canada towards achieving this
goal.
www.kidsonthemove.ca
School Travel Planning
History in Canada
PHASE 1 (Sept 2006 –Mar 2007):
Research international best practice &
develop recommendations for Canada
Transport Canada
PHASE 2 (Nov 2007 –Mar 2009):
Pilot test School Travel Planning in 4 provinces
Public Health Agency of Canada
PHASE 3 (Apr 2009 & beyond):
Roll out School Travel Planning across Canada
Public Health Agency of Canada/George Weston
Best Practices – Models for
National Active School Travel
U.S.A. Safe, Accountable, Flexible &
Efficient Transportation Equity Act –
A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU)
 New Zealand, Energy Efficiency and
Conservation Authority (EECA)
 Victoria, Australia, Walking School
Bus Program
 U.K. School Travel Plan Strategy

What is School Travel
Planning?


A School Travel Plan is both a document
and a process; addressing the issues of
sustainability, safety and health associated
with ‘the school run’ using a communitybased approach.
The School Travel Planning approach has
been used with success in many countries.
Overview of School Travel
Planning Process
Year 1
SET-UP
(Jun)
DATA COLLECTION
*Baseline (Sept/Oct)
*Final (May)
ACTION PLANNING
(Oct – Dec)
IMPLEMENTATION
(Oct – Jun)
THE STP
DOCUMENT
Year 2
Benefits of
School Travel Planning



Considers school travel as part of overall
municipal transportation policies and plans
Sets specific implementation targets
Involves all relevant stakeholders
 Economic benefits
accrue
 Provides measurable
targets
 Supports regional
and national priorities
School Travel Planning
Pilot Project Partners

Four provinces:





British Columbia: Way to Go! School Program*
Alberta: SHAPE
Ontario: Green Communities
Nova Scotia: Ecology Action
3 pilot schools & 2 control schools in
each province
Results: A Canadian Study of Rates
and Barriers
Beesley, T., Faulkner, G., Arbour, K., Builing, R.
Faculty of Physical Education and Health,
Faculty of Geography
University of Toronto
National Prevalence
Provincial Modes of
Transport
Provincial Rates of AST
60%
50%
40%
30%
AST am
AST pm
20%
10%
0%
Ontario
British Columbia
Nova Scotia
Province
Alberta
Main reasons for driving
Other
6%
Saftey
11%
Traffic danger
11%
Distance
16%
En route
17%
Convenience/time pressures
18%
Weather
21%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
Neighbourhood Barriers
Q10: Do Neighbourhood Barriers Exist
Strongly agree
9%
Strongly disagree
28%
Agree
21%
Disagree
42%
Neighbourhood Safety
Q8: Neighbourhood is NOT safe
Strongly disagree
14%
Strongly agree
8%
Agree
26%
Disagree
52%
Predictors of PST
1.
2.
3.
Neighbourhood Barriers (expΒ = -.621)
Not allowed out alone (expΒ = -.397)
Unsafe Neighbourhood (expΒ = -.354)
Non-significant Predictors
1. Distance
2. Short distances between intersections
3. Alternative routes from getting place to
place
Independence and reasons
for driving
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
Safety and Convenience
50%
Convenience
40%
Safety
30%
20%
10%
0%
Never allowed out unsupervised
Often or always allowed out without
supervision
Change in Driving Habits
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Less Driving
No Change
More Driving
National Hands-Up Survey
Results at Pilot Schools
46
45.5
45
44.5
Active %
44
43.5
43
42.5
Baseline
Final
Most Effective Activities
Q19: Most Effective STP Activities
Walking
buddies
7%
Identification of
best routes
Other
6%
3%
Newsletter
9%
Special weekly
or monthly
8%
Special events
24%
Infrastructure
improvements
19%
Safety
education
24%
Parents who usually drive
Q21&22: I would allow my child to walk/cycle if...
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Ot
he
r
c
t ra
f fi
ce
d
Ro
ut
e
Re
du
Sa
fe
r
No
tA
lon
e
Walk
Reasons
Cycle
Program Expansion
New:
 Manitoba - 3 schools
 Saskatchewan - 3 schools
 The Yukon - 3 schools
Existing:
 Nova Scotia - 3 + 2 schools
 Ontario - 3 + 25 schools
 Alberta - 3 + 3 schools
 British Columbia - 3 + 6 schools
National School Travel
Planning Support







STP Toolkit including STP Facilitator
Guidebook, data collection tools, data entry
tools, sample forms and documents
STP page on web –
www.saferoutestoschool.ca
STP Facilitator training webinars
STP Facilitator conference calls
STP national meetings
STP national newsletter
STP measurements collected
Summary
Creation of a model STP framework for
Canada
 Survey results timed to meet funder
deadlines
 Results collected before implementation
 Schools may not achieve higher rates of
active travel initially
 Groundwork has been set - pilot is
expanding
 School Travel Plans documented and
approved by stakeholders

Thank You
www.saferoutestoschool.ca/schooltravel.asp