Active transportation
Walking, cycling, or taking the bus can help you meet the Canadian 24- Hour Movement Guidelines and your travel needs at the same time, while improving your physical health, increasing your energy, and improving your mental well-being.
The challenge
Walk, cycle, or take the bus for all or part of your trips. Make a plan to walk or cycle for any trips of one km or less, or to actively commute at least 15 minutes from home to different destinations throughout the week.
Tips
- Make it easy to walk or cycle to where you want to go. Plan your route ahead of time and keep what you need ready at the door. Reap the physical, mental, and social health benefits of active transportation.
Items to keep ready to go may include walking shoes, sunscreen, raingear, knapsack or pannier, helmet, bike lock, bus pass, water, and a snack.
Plan your route. Would you like to get to your destination the fastest way or take the scenic route? Pathways between streets can be both. If you would like to travel during peak hours, try it out when it’s quieter and consider adding time needed for the ‘real’ trip.
If you are incorporating active transportation into part of your trip, this may mean parking further away from your destination or catching a bus further away than you normally do.
Keep your plan visible and record each commute - time/km, mode (walk, cycle, transit), with a short note of what made it easy or challenging.
Think about what might make it easier to commute by active transportation, and try to break down barriers to make active transportation sustainable for you. For example:
Ask family and friends to help with childcare or take turns.
Be prepared ahead of time for the weather.
Talk with those in charge of your favourite destinations (stores, services, amenities) about secure bike parking (register your bike online with Project 529 Garage to aid in recovery in case of theft).
Talk with your employer about supporting employees to walk, cycle, and use transit more easily (KFL&A Public Health can help with a consultation).
Local events and resources
- Commuter Challenge
- Sign up as an individual or a workplace, track your active commutes, and see in real time the effect it has on your carbon footprint!
- Cycling week in Kingston
- Check out several local events, from bicycle tune-ups and safety checks to roll-in breakfasts, a bike ride with the mayor, and more!
- Princess St. Promenade
- There will be a Bicycles+ area on Princess St. between King and Ontario St. in Kingston, including safe and secure bike parking, a demo of Kingston Transit’s Rack ‘n Roll, and much more!
Community tips
- Make sure your equipment is safe. Tune up your bike and get a well-fitted helmet.
- Keep the essentials for any kind of weather ready to go (e.g., sunscreen, hat, umbrella).
- If it roars, stay indoors. Kingston Transit may be an option for you and your bike during a storm or anytime.
- Give yourself lots of time to spare to reduce stress.
- Try out a new route on the evenings or weekends.
- Have a podcast ready to go or call a friend to pass the time on your walk or bus ride.
- Recruit a friend to bike a new route with you for the first time.
- Make walking or cycling a part of your day.
Did you complete the Ways to Wellness challenge this month? Fill out our survey for a chance to win a gift card!