Mother walking to school with her children

School Active Travel Program

The School Active Travel Program encourages and promotes walking, biking, and rolling to school.

Our focus is to:

Encourage more children and their families to walk, bike, and roll to school
Improve walking and cycling infrastructure around schools
Increase education and awareness around active transportation

The program is a partnership between the City of Vancouver and Vancouver School Board , and is a direct outcome of our Transportation 2040 Plan. The program also supports our Climate Emergency Action Plan targets.

Programs

School Active Travel Education
Walking and cycling education

Each year, grade 6 and 7 students receive active travel education through our support of the Ride the Road education course offered by HUB Cycling. The course is delivered at up to 37 schools annually, making the program available to all grade 6 and 7 students in Vancouver public schools over each 2-year period.

Ride the Road course overview:
- Four one-hour units taught to grade 6 and 7 students
- Units teach students walking and cycling safety theory and on-bike skills, which are then applied in a culminating group ride around the neighbourhood
- Helmets and bicycles, including adaptive bicycles, are provided for students who do not have their own
- Lessons are taught by HUB Cycling’s team of certified instructors
Courses are offered each year in the spring (April to June) and fall (September to November).

Learn more about the course, and register your school’s interest to participate
School Travel Planning

Each year, we engage with 3 to 6 elementary and secondary schools to identify and address barriers to active school travel.

Through School Travel Planning, we assist with data collection, provide infrastructure improvements and support, and create personalized action plans collaboratively with participating schools and stakeholders.

You can also email us for inquiries related to safety and spot improvements at schools.

Learn more about the program
School Slow Zones on Arterials Program
School Streets

A School Street is a car-free block beside a school open to walking, biking, and rolling during pick-up and drop-off (30 to 75 minutes) on school days.

A total of 13 Vancouver schools have participated in the School Streets Program to date. The program has been shown to improve safety around schools and encourage more students to use active transportation (walking, biking, and rolling) to and from school.

Learn more about the program
Walk Bike Roll Mini Grants

Annual Walk Bike Roll Mini Grants of up to $500 are available to Vancouver public elementary and secondary schools through the School Active Travel Program.

Grants support projects and activities that encourage and promote students walking, biking, or rolling to school.

Since 2018, we have supported 91 school projects, impacting nearly 14,000 students.

Learn more about the program
Walking School Bus

A Walking School Bus (WSB) is an organized group of students who walk to school together with the support of adult leaders.

Kid Commute

A Walking School Bus initiative was developed by TransLink and Urban Systems as part of the TravelSmart4Kids: TransLink's Regional Travel Strategy for kids 12 and under .

The program is being delivered by the Society for Children and Youth of BC. Since 2021, 7 elementary schools have participated in Vancouver.

Learn more about the program
Mobi Youth Community Pass program
In fall 2022, we partnered with Mobi by Rogers and the Vancouver School Board (VSB) to pilot a bike share program to offer the Youth Community Pass to all Britannia Secondary School students.

Through this program, students are eligible to purchase a discounted annual pass for $20, with the potential for additional financial assistance, to encourage active travel and make biking more accessible and affordable.

Because of the pilot’s success, we expanded the program in spring 2024 to 3 additional secondary schools:
- Templeton Secondary School
- Kitsilano Secondary School
- King George Secondary School
This expansion was made possible thanks to the Active Communities Grant Program through BC Alliance for Healthy Living (BCAHL), supported by the Province of BC.
Other programs

Bike to School Week

Bike to School Week is an annual celebration run by the non-profit HUB Cycling where students of all ages are encouraged to walk, bike, or roll to school.

Learn more about Bike to School Week

Bike bus

A bike bus is an organized group of students riding bikes to school together along a set route with the support of adult leaders.

The Bike Bus Program is being delivered by HUB Cycling at select schools across Metro Vancouver. The program includes an organized bike ride to and from school 1 day a week led by a HUB Cycling instructor. Schools can also organize their own parent-led bike bus.

Learn more about how to start your own bike bus

Grandma on the Move

We partnered with award-winning children’s entertainers Will Stroet of Will's Jams and the enduring Charlotte Diamond to inspire safe, courteous, and mindful road behaviour – especially for our most vulnerable and at-risk groups.

Learn more and download the helpful resources

Promote active travel at your school

Whether you’re a student, teacher or parent - you can take action to promote active travel at your school:

Start your own Walking School Bus
Promote Drive to 5 : Encourage families to park five minutes away from school and walk the rest of the way
Start an adult crossing guard program (325 KB) (independent schools)
Share these safety tips with families who may be driving to or from school:
Check out this active travel toolkit for more ideas

Download the Active School Travel poster:

Contact us

Email: schoolactivetravel@vancouver.ca

School Active Travel Program

Programs

School Active Travel Education

School Travel Planning

School Slow Zones on Arterials Program

School Streets

Walk Bike Roll Mini Grants

Walking School Bus

Mobi Youth Community Pass program

Other programs

Promote active travel at your school

Contact us

Contact information, partner agencies, and website policies