Active transportation needs a federal champion

The authors advocate for a federal champion for active transportation in Canada, citing significant health benefits, such as reducing chronic disease and premature deaths, and environmental benefits, including the reduction of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. They propose several federal actions, including creating a dedicated infrastructure fund and establishing a modal share goal.

• Canada currently lacks a federal minister responsible for active transportation, and mandate letters for federal ministers do not mention the subject.
• Active transportation addresses physical inactivity, a leading risk factor for chronic diseases that affect one in five Canadians and cause 65% of deaths in the country, costing approximately $200 billion annually in health care and lost-time costs.
• Walking and cycling reduce air pollutants and greenhouse gases (GHGs); for instance, traffic-related air pollution in Toronto is estimated to cause 440 premature deaths and 1,700 hospitalizations annually.
• The authors recommend several federal interventions to promote active mobility, including the creation of a dedicated active transportation infrastructure fund, the identification of a national modal share goal, and the sharing of gas tax transfers for active mobility.

APA

Perrotta, K., & Varga-Toth, J. (2017). Active transportation needs a federal champion. Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. https://cape.ca/active-transportation-needs-a-federal-champion/

Chicago

Perrotta, Kim, and Judi Varga-Toth. Active transportation needs a federal champion. Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, 2017. https://cape.ca/active-transportation-needs-a-federal-champion/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Perrotta |first1=Kim |last2=Varga-Toth |first2=Judi |title=Active transportation needs a federal champion |publisher=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |date=14 December 2017 |url=https://cape.ca/active-transportation-needs-a-federal-champion/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{perrotta2017active, author = {Perrotta, Kim and Varga-Toth, Judi}, title = {{Active transportation needs a federal champion}}, publisher = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, year = {2017}, month = dec, url = {https://cape.ca/active-transportation-needs-a-federal-champion/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }