Communities Going Active: Addressing Barriers to Active Transportation recording

We know active transportation has many benefits: it can reduce traffic congestion, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and encourage communities to be physically active, which in turn helps prevent chronic diseases and fosters mental wellness.

Yet, many people living in British Columbia can’t participate, whether they feel it takes too long to walk or bike, they don’t feel safe, they don’t feel like they have enough skills or that perhaps bikes are too costly for them.

Last summer, BCAHL launched the Community Active Transportation Engagement (CATE) Project, in partnership with the Ministry of Health. The goal of that project was to increase physical activity through active transportation use by addressing individual-level barriers.

In this June 27 webinar, we heard from communities that were funded by the CATE Project and the initiatives they launched to address individual-level or behavioural barriers to active transportation.

Speakers:

Brendon James is the Transportation Demand Management Coordinator at the District of North Vancouver, where he works on programs and tools to help reduce single-occupancy vehicle use in the community and instead, choose other transportation modes, such as active transportation, public transit, and car-sharing.

Danica Burwash is the Project Manager with Doctors and Nurses for Planetary Health, which has members throughout the Kootenay-Boundary region. The organization advocates for policies, practices, and projects that protect and restore planetary health, while also benefitting human well-being.

Glen Cheetham is the Climate and Sustainability Manager at the City of Kamloops, where his team focuses on working with the city’s residents and businesses to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, around buildings, transportation and waste, including supporting community members as they start using active transportation modes.