Active transportation means any method of travelling to a destination that uses primarily human power, which we describe here as “walking, cycling, or rolling.” This includes trips made using, or propelled by, your body, a mobility device, a bicycle or tricycle (with or without assistance from an electric battery), a skateboard, or a scooter.
In 2015, nearly half (49%) of our community's GHG emissions came from how we move people and goods. Furthermore, short distance trips of less than five kilometres make up nearly 50% of all travel by
residents within the Region that could generally be achieved using active forms of transportation.
Existing short trips need to be made by walking, cycling, or rolling. Longer trips, where possible, need to be replaced by shorter trips. For example, instead of driving to a grocery store across town, more people will walk, cycle, or roll to a store nearby.
Public transit service is crucial for making most trips using active transportation. It gives people a low-energy, convenient option for trips that they can’t walk, cycle, or roll to. It supports being able to live fulfilling lives without owning a vehicle, and is accessible to people of different incomes and abilities. In this way, a robust transit service needs to be used to supplement our active transportation goals.