Active Transportation

Active Transportation (AT) is a national movement to encourage Canadians to choose human-powered transportation for both a cleaner environment and for personal health. It promotes activities such as walking, biking, cross country skiing, etc. as a means of transportation, and also works to make routes safer and more accessible.

Benefits of AT initiatives are numerous, and have been shown to reduce costs and increase public health and tourism opportunities. Most benefits are inherent and fluid, transferring a positive impact throughout a number of areas and fields including recreation, tourism, health care, infrastructure, maintenance, real estate, and more. Significant economic impacts include:

  1. reduction in repair, maintenance and long term road construction costs;
  2. reduction in costs associated with greenhouse gas emissions, air and water pollution
  3. reduction in health care costs due to increased physical activity and mitigation of respiratory and cardiac disease, diabetes, and obesity;
  4. reduction of costs due to increased road safety and diminished traffic congestion;
  5. the opportunity for significant recreational tourism;
  6. increased product sales and manufacturing;
  7. increased property values along greenways and trails;
  8. increased productivity and a reduction of sick days and injuries at the workplace

Muskoka AT Committee

The Muskoka Active Transportation Committee (MATC) was established in January of 2007 after the Muskoka Trails Council and Take Heart Muskoka, with the assistance of the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion, hosted an AT Workshop in the Fall of 2006. This session, facilitated by Go for Green, was intended to introduce the concept of AT to the community, and to work with interested stakeholders to determine whether further action should be undertaken in this area.

The MATC currently has representation from five municipalities within the District, as well as a District representative, Take Heart representative, a public representative and a Muskoka Bike Group representative. To date, we have been involved in such projects as information sharing for the production of the Take Heart 'Hip Clip' Trails booklet, social marketing within and outside the District, seminar and focus group involvement, a 'hot spot' visual rendering project and the purchase and distribution of signage and bike racks throughout the District.

MATC's purpose is to encourage AT throughout the District of Muskoka by means of promotion and advocacy; and to initiate and facilitate AT projects to provide safe, accessible, routes and infrastructure. We envision Muskoka having an AT network that is safe and accessible. Walking routes will extend no less than five kilometers, and bicycle routes no less than 10 kilometers from the geographic center of urban areas. These distances can be increased when important community activity centres, like schools, offices and sports facilities, are located near the edges of the towns. These routes will allow citizens and visitors to pursue a healthy, active lifestyle.

The MATC supports all Active Transportation plans. We believe that a standard for considering AT opportunities should be included in all existing and planned infrastructure developments. We appreciate the continued efforts of the District of Muskoka and the Municipalities therein, in making Muskoka a healthier and more sustainable community.