Transportation Outreach Programs

A number of programs exist to assist in making transportation more sustainable. Information and resources are available on a wide range of transport topics including maintaining your car, retiring an old polluting vehicle, putting an end to idling, and switching to cleaner fuels for your car. A wealth of information is also available to help you use less polluting forms of transportation, such as walking, biking, public transit, telecommuting, and carpooling.

Employers and communities can take advantage of these programs, and launch campaigns to encourage workers and citizens to take an active part in ensuring that their transportation choices help to reduce air pollution.

The list below identifies programs that are either coordinated, funded or developed in collaboration with the Government of Canada. Additional programs and information sources are also available from non-government organizations.

Programs recieving funding from Environment Canada

• Commuter Challenge: Take part in the commuter challenge and help reduce air pollution. If you are a community leader, invite citizens to try using a sustainable mode of transportation to commute for one week. You can create challenges between workplaces and even compete with other cities!
• LET'S DRIVE GREEN: Environment Canada has been delivering the LET'S DRIVE GREEN free vehicle emissions inspection clinics every summer since 1986. Trained staff work with local groups to bring 2-3 day emissions clinics to communities across Canada. Community leaders can encourage citizen participation in the clinics and take advantage of the program to launch clean air campaigns and inform citizens how to reduce their driving emissions.
• Urban Bus Retrofit - Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA): Environment Canada has an agreement with CUTA to design and deliver a national pilot project retrofitting urban buses with diesel oxidation catalysts which significantly reduce harmful emissions. CUTA is working with 14 transit authorities across the country: Victoria, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, St. Albert, Saskatoon, Windsor, Toronto, Ottawa, Gatineau, Quebec City, Halifax, St. John's and St. John.

• Vehicle Scrappage Program: Voluntary vehicle scrappage programs are run and developed by local community organizations. They are supported by local partners and Environment Canada. These programs provide incentives to remove older vehicles from the road.

  Programs encouraging transportation choices

• Moving On Sustainable Transportation (MOST) program: Transport Canada is working with organizations across Canada to make sustainable transportation a reality.
• Car Free Day is celebrated by over 100 million people in over 1,500 cities around the world to build awareness on the benefits of having a downtown free of cars. Celebrate this day in your community and make a difference!
  • International Website
  • Canada Website
  • Montréal Web Site - In French only
• Commuter Options: The Complete Guide for Canadian Employers: Transport Canada offers Canadian employers a practical and comprehensive guide to improving commuter options for their employees. Take advantage of this useful information!
• Active transportation - Go for Green: Increasing active transportation will help to reduce pollution and improve health. This website includes the 2003 National Roundtable Proceedings along with information on active transport, including a list of events.
• Active and safe routes to school - Go for Green: If you wish to influence schools, this program will allow you to build awareness among parents and kids about the importance of physical activity for their health and for clean air.

Fuel and Fleet Programs

• Vehicle Fuels Program: Take advantage of Natural Resources Canada's vehicle fuels website. It promotes alternative transportation fuels (ATFs), including propane, natural gas, ethanol, electricity and hydrogen, by providing Canadians with information on their use and economic/environmental benefits.
• Fleet Smart: Administered by Natural Resources Canada, FleetSmart helps fleet managers, owners and owner-operators reduce fuel costs and vehicle emissions and improve productivity through energy-efficient practices.

Anti-idling and home based Programs

• Idle-Free Initiative: Visit this Natural Resources Canada website and learn how to stop unnecessary engine idling, both of your own vehicle and in your community. When parked cars, trucks, and buses are left running, they produce pollution and contribute to climate change and smog, negatively affecting the health of all Canadians. Let's all put a stop to unnecessary idling - it's easy!
• Mow Down Pollution Program: Coordinated by the Clean Air Foundation to encourage and reward people to replace their older, high polluting mowers with less polluting alternatives.