School Travel Planning

Our Proven Approach

Since 2015, Green Communities Canada has delivered its School Travel Planning program to approximately 175 schools across Ontario. School Travel Planning aims to reduce traffic-related safety risks around schools and encourage more students to use sustainable modes of transportation for their school journeys.

Communities across Canada are facing a challenge: more children are being driven to and from school, while fewer are using active modes of transportation like walking, biking, rollerblading, wheeling, and scootering. Students are missing out on the mental and physical health benefits of active school travel, and schools are seeing increases in traffic congestion, safety risks, and localized air pollution.

School Travel Planning (STP) helps reduce traffic safety risks and encourage more students to use active modes of travel to and from school.

Benefits of Active School Travel

Reduced air pollution and urban noise.
Improved sense of community.
More productive use of valuable municipal space.
Improved cardiovascular health for children.
Improved cognitive performance for children.
Increased positive emotions and feelings of well-being for children.
Improved autonomy, independence, and sense of place for children.

How does School Travel Planning work?

The School Travel Planning (STP) process is led by a School Travel Planner who collaborates with participating schools to form an STP Committee, composed of key members of the school community, municipal staff, elected officials, and school board representatives.

Over the two-year program, the STP Committee works together to assess and document current travel conditions and develop and implement an Action Plan. The Action Plan incorporates measures from our “7 Es Framework”: Education, Evaluation, Encouragement, Engineering, Enforcement (Optional), Equity and Engagement.

School Travel Planning in Action

Check out STP in action at communities across Ontario.

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Timeline of School Travel Planning

Green Communities Canada has been a leader in School Travel Planning for decades.

1990s

Active School Travel

Green Communities Canada begins promotion of active school travel in Canada.

2000s

Development of School Travel Planning

Green Communities Canada researched and developed a School Travel Planning framework for Canadian communities in the early 2000s. This framework was tested through a national pilot funded by the Coalition Linking Action and Science for Prevention (CLASP).

2010-12

Framework Implemented across Canada

School Travel Planning framework implemented in 120 schools across all provinces and territories of Canada.

2015-2023

School Travel Planning begins in Toronto

Since 2015, Green Communities Canada has delivered the School Travel Planning program to approximately 175 schools across the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Catholic District School Board.

kids playing on pavement covered in sidewalk chalk

2023-24

Expansion in Toronto

In the 2023-24 school year, the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Catholic District School Board expanded their engagement with School Travel Planning to reach an additional 45 schools.

Children attending a bicycle rodeo event. From coast to coast, people of all ages are embracing cycling as a safe, accessible, transportation option for school trips. Bike to School Week 2025 (B2SW) takes place from June 2 - 6 in Toronto and Vancouver, with some different dates for other areas in Canada.

2024-2026

More growth in Toronto

Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Catholic District School Board plan to further expand School Travel Planning to engage yet another 60 schools across both school board.

Response to 2025 Federal Budget

November 5, 2025

While Green Communities Canada (GCC) welcomes the confirmation of several commitments in the 2025 Federal Budget, we await crucial details on investments in nature-based solutions, active transportation, and electrifying…

Group of diverse people from GCC's School Streets initiative gathered in front of giant mushroom monuments in a permanent school street in Montreal.

School Streets Team Gathers in Person for the First Time!

October 9, 2025

The National Active School Streets Initiative (School Streets) is a 4-year program that aims to create car-free streets in front of schools at the start and end…

Press Release: Two Million Students Ride the Bus to School – Who Gets Left Behind in the Electric Transition?

September 3, 2025

Pivotal moment for Canada’s transition to low-carbon student transportation can either exacerbate or alleviate inequities. Peterborough, ON – September 3, 2025 – Over two million children…

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Sustainable Mobility

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Our Proven Approach

The Challenge

Benefits of Active School Travel

How does School Travel Planning work?

School Travel Planning in Action