Active Transportation

What are we measuring and why?

This indicator reports on the percentage of the population who engaged in active transportation in the past three months, over time, by age group and by province. For the purposes of this report, active transportation is defined as walking or bicycling to and from school or work, though some groups include the use of public transportation in their definition.

• There is growing evidence that engaging in regular physical activity can protect people from developing several types of cancer, in addition to providing more general health benefits. The 2007 report of the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) concluded that physical activity is protective against colon cancer and potentially protective against post-menopausal breast cancer and endometrial cancers.¹
• Physical activity is an important factor in maintaining a healthy weight and preventing obesity. Overweight and obesity are risk factors for several cancers, including those of the colon, rectum, breast (post-menopausal), endometrium, pancreas and kidney.¹
• The Canadian Healthy Living Strategy has set a target of increasing the proportion of Canadians who participate in regular physical activity (defined as 30 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous activity). The goal is a 20% increase by 2015 (using 2003 data as a baseline). If this is achieved, 60.5% of people would be engaging in regular physical activity.²
• Active transportation is a practical and effective way to increase activity levels and produce a positive impact on health. For example, walking or cycling to work or school can be incorporated into regular daily activities and routines, which would improve overall health.^3,4 Taking part in active transportation may prove to be a more sustainable behaviour for most people than recreational forms of physical activity such as going to the gym.⁴
• Increased reliance on and accessibility of motorized vehicles for daily transportation has reduced physical activity levels in Canada.⁵ By increasing the number of trips made on foot or by bicycle (either entirely for short commutes or partially, combined with other transportation methods, for longer commutes), increasing daily physical activity levels may be more easily achieved.⁶ While active transportation is a relatively easy form of exercise to integrate into daily routines, engaging in other physical activity is also important for health and well-being.

What are the results?

• Participation in active transportation varied among provinces and territories. The percentage of adults who reported engaging in active transportation ranged from 12.3% in Newfoundland and Labrador to 50.9% in Nunavut. Active transportation was highest in Canada’s three territories (Figure 1.13).
• Participation in active transportation was most common among school-aged youth, aged 12 to 17 years (54.3%). It was least common among those aged 65 and older (10.1%) (Figure 1.14).
• The percentage of those taking part in active transportation—around 22.0% of Canadian adults—has remained largely unchanged since 2007 (data not shown).

What do the results mean?

• Based on the data available in the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), this indicator presents a best estimate of active transportation in Canada. However, because the indicator only includes walking or cycling to and from work or school, it is likely an underestimate, as many people may use active transportation in other areas of their lives (e.g., walking/cycling to the grocery store, to social events, etc.). Additionally, it is important to note that active transportation is only one form of physical activity; in the 2011 Cancer System Performance Report, 26% of Canadian adults reported being active during their leisure time.⁷
• Levels of active transportation among Canadian adults have remained low and have not changed between 2007 and 2013. There is untapped potential for policy reforms that would encourage more Canadians to walk and cycle more regularly, which could have significant health benefits—including reducing the risk for certain cancers.
• Variations among provinces could be explained by geographical differences and/or how active transportation among adults is promoted and supported in different jurisdictions. For instance, active transportation is much higher in the territories (particularly in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories), possibly because most of the population lives in urban areas (where infrastructure that supports active transportation may exist) or because lack of roads forces people to travel by foot or bicycle. There may also be differences in provincial and municipal level urban planning policies (e.g., those related to supportive infrastructure, such as the availability of bike lanes), snow removal, pedestrian and cyclist safety, awareness of the benefits of/options for active transportation, and funding available to support active transportation and the built environment.⁵
• The low levels of active transportation reported by Canadians over age 65 is not surprising, since the survey question asked specifically about walking or cycling to and from work or school. Since older adults are less likely to work or attend school, they would be less likely to report participation in active transportation for these purposes compared to people under age 65.
• Canadian children and youth were more likely to engage in active transportation than adults. This could be due to recent attempts to promote physical activity in these age groups. For example, school-based travel planning programs (e.g., “walking” school buses, safe routes to school, walk-to-school days) have been developed to promote increased physical activity levels in children and youth.^8,9 Also children who live close to their schools (which is more common than adults living close to their place of work) are more likely to engage in active transportation,¹⁰ as are those who live in an urban area (where supportive infrastructure may exist) and those from low-income families.
• While engagement in active transportation is higher among children and youth compared to adults, it remains at inadequate levels. The 2014 Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth gave Canada a D rating for active transportation. The reasons were the low percentage of children and youth using active transportation to travel to/from school and the decline in active transportation among children and youth over the past decade.¹⁰
• Rates of active transportation vary internationally. Canada’s active transportation levels are low, as are those in Australia and the United States, where fewer than 15% of daily trips to work were made on foot or by bicycle. Canada could leverage lessons learned in European countries which have found that increasing levels of active transportation boosted overall physical activity levels among their citizens. For example, over half of daily trips made in the Netherlands were by cycling or walking (it should be noted that this included trips for any purpose; rates might have been slightly lower if they had only included trips to or from work).¹¹

References

1. World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research. Food, nutrition, physical activity, and the prevention of cancer: a global perspective. Washington, DC: American Institute for Cancer Research; 2007.
2. The Secretariat for the Intersectoral Healthy Living Network in partnership with the Healthy Living Task Group and the Advisory Committee on Population Health and Health Security (ACPHHS). The Integrated Pan-Canadian Healthy Living Strategy. Ottawa: Public Health Agency of Canada, 2005.
3. Litman T. Evaluating Active Transportation Benefits and Costs: Guide to Valuing Walking and Cycling Improvements and Encouragement Programs. Victoria: Victoria Transport Policy Institute 2014.
4. Canadian Medical Association. Active Transportation. Ottawa: Canadian Medical Association 2009.
5. Transport Canada. Active Transportation in Canada: A resource and planning guide. Ottawa: Transport Canada, 2011.
6. Chaix B, Kestens Y, Duncan S, Merrien C, Thierry B, Pannier B, et al. Active transportation and public transportation use to achieve physical activity recommendations? A combined GPS, accelerometer, and mobility survey study. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2014;11(1):124.
7. Canadian Partnership Against Cancer. The 2011 System Performance Report. Toronto: Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, 2011.
8. Stasiuk L, Dubinski M, Pope L, Paterson M. Interventions the influence active transportation to and from school among school-aged children. Region of Peel Public Health, 2013.
9. Green Communities Canada. Review of International School Travel Planning Best Practices. Peterborough: Green Communities Canada, 2010.
10. Active Healthy Kids Canada. Is Canada in the Running? The 2014 Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth. Toronto: Active Healthy Kids Canada, 2014.
11. Buehler R, Pucher J. Walking and Cycling in Western Europe and the United States: Trends, Policies, and Lessons. TR News. 2012;280:34-42.