Active and Safe Routes to School: Evaluating School Travel Planning to Support Children\u27s Active Travel

Most Canadian children are not achieving their daily recommended physical activity (PA) levels despite the many emotional, psychological, and physical benefits of PA. Walking or wheeling to/from school, or active school travel (AST), is a viable method for improving children’s daily participation in PA. In Canada, the Active and Safe Routes to School initiative promotes AST through its comprehensive School Travel Planning (STP) program. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, broadly, this thesis investigates the i) implementation and ii) effectiveness of a regional, two-year STP program supporting AST. This thesis includes a systematic review of AST intervention models implemented in North America, a qualitative investigation of the program’s implementation and sustainability, and a quantitative analysis of the STP program’s impact on AST participation and perceptions. Findings are relevant to intervention facilitators and evaluators, school administrators, public health practitioners, local law enforcement agencies, community planners, and parents