The City of Sarnia has received a grant from The Government of Ontario and Green Communities Canada to increase Active School Travel in Sarnia by encouraging students to walk or wheel to school for the benefit of health, reduced pollution, and safer school zones by encouraging less traffic.
Kate Berry, Ontario Active School Travel program director with Green Communities Canada, reports, “In recent decades we have seen a significant decline in walking to school among children across the province. This initiative, including Ontario government funding and rich local partnerships is a great opportunity to reverse the downward trend and rebuild the culture of active school travel”.
Projects in four school zones are being implemented through local partnerships with school boards, public health, municipal government, local bus companies, and police, all with the support and funding from Green Communities Canada and the provincial government. Amy Weiler, Program Facilitator adds, “Each school will have the opportunity to help plan for safer travel in school zones, hold events to promote walking and wheeling to school through educational and encouragement activities, and implement infrastructure investments like bike racks and traffic calming measures to reduce the congestion of cars in school zones”.
The media is invited to St. Michael’s School for an official launch on Wednesday, November 6, 2019 from 1:45-2:35 p.m.
This project is made possible through financial support from Green Communities Canada and the Government of Ontario