Communities and organizations from across Canada have promoted the Commuter Challenge in different and exciting ways. Below you will find event summaries to motivate and inspire you! The summaries contain background information on the organizations promoting the Challenge, past results, special events held and resource material produced.
Ongoing Challenges
- Whistler Way Commuter Challenge, BC
Communities
Burlington Commuter Challenge
In 2000, the City of Burlington's Council approved an environmental mission statement, committing the City to being "a leader in making a high level of environmental performance one of the primary goals for its policies, programs, and operations… "
Burlington has taken a very proactive stance to promote sustainable transportation. For example, the City encourages carpooling by providing preferential parking; recently replaced 10 buses with newer more fuel-efficient models; participated in the 2003 Repair Our Air Fleet Challenge to minimize idling; promotes International Walk to School Day in October; and has a cycling committee as well as a network of on-road and off-road cycling/ pedestrian paths.
2003 was Burlington's first participating in the Commuter Challenge although we participated for a number of years in Pollution Probe's Clean Air Commute, held at the end of June. Due to limited resources, and since last year was our first year participating, the event was advertised within the corporation only. A total of 58 individuals registered their participation.
During the same week as the 2003 Commuter Challenge, Burlington launched its idling awareness campaign. For 2004, Burlington Bike Week is being planned to coincide with the Commuter Challenge so some events will be planned in coordination with the Bike Week committee.
Burlington Poster 2003
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Calgary Commuter Challenge
The Calgary Commuter Challenge began in 1991 as an interdepartmental competition at Alberta Energy Utility Board to promote alternative transportation options. By 1995 the Challenge had mushroomed to include 25 workplaces and was organized by steering committee members from the participating oil and gas companies. In 1996 a new steering committee started gearing up for a larger citywide campaign including general public participation, direct marketing and media exposure. It was at this turning point that the committee decided to formalize its operations under the societies act of Alberta. Sustainable Alberta Association (SAA) was formed in November 1998 as an umbrella organization for the Calgary Commuter Challenge.
In 1999, Sustainable Alberta received funding from the Climate Change Action Fund (CCAF) to develop a national Commuter Challenge event over a three-year period. Through a partnership with the Alberta Lung Association (ALA), all Sustainable Alberta business was carried out at the Calgary ALA office until it closed down its office in 2002. The national coordination has since been taken over by Go for Green.
In 2004 Sustainable Alberta will host the 14th annual Calgary Commuter Challenge. Since the Calgary Commuter Challenge has been in low gear over the last few years the following case study is from one of our more prosperous years.
The event kicked off with a partnership promotion with the Alberta Lung Association during Alberta's Clean Air Week. For the Commuter Challenge event, fourteen sponsor organizations provided over $100,000 of in-kind products and services, including over 5,000 single-day transit passes from Calgary Transit, and over $6,000 in merchandise and services from Calgary bicycle shops for daily prize draws. This included a $1,000 GT mountain bike from Eurotech Cycle and a $1,200 titanium mountain bike frame from Nouvelle Cycle. The Calgary Herald, Lite96 Radio and A-Channel all went beyond PSAs and produced commercial spots at no charge that ran for over two weeks.
The competition involved 34 Calgary corporations, ranging in size from under 50 employees to over 2000. Amoco's trendsetting result of 50% set it well apart from other corporations in the above 1,000 employees' category. In the 100 - 1,000 employees' category, the National Energy Board (66%) edged out Canadian Occidental Petroleum (62%) to earn its sixth victory in seven years. Competition was most fierce in the under 100 category, with three corporations averaging 80% participation rates or better. When the dust had settled it was Mountain Equipment Co-op out front (85%) followed by Quest - An Alliance Corporation (81%) and RADSS Technologies (80%).
The average participation rate over all 34 corporations (18,400+ employees) was 32%, giving Calgary a wide margin of victory in the Commuter Challenge. Second place went to Victoria, with an average participation rate of 17%.
These results clearly demonstrate that for many Calgary corporations, ecologically sustainable commuting is already a reality, and for the city as a whole it is a work in progress.
Sustainable Alberta is gearing up for the biggest Commuter Challenge event ever in 2004 with the help of two newly hired part-time coordinators through funding from Eco-Action.
Calgary Registration Form 1999
Calgary Poster 1999
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Gatineau Commuter Challenge
The CREDDO, Regional Council on the Environment and Sustainable Development of the Outaouais deals with transportation issues on a regional and local level. In 2000 we organized a Summit on Transportation and the Environment. We have been involved in the setting up of collective transportation in rural areas; with the consultation committee on the Rapibus, a local urban initiative to have a transitway system for buses only; the promotion of an inspection program for older cars and the promotion of energy efficiency.
We have been organizing the Commuter Challenge for the last five years. In 2003, 50 workplaces in Gatineau participated with over 1200 employees. The federal government workplaces have been keenly participating but for 2004 we are focusing on the private sector. We should also be able to separate the people living in Gatineau who participate from those in Ottawa.
We start off the Commuter Challenge with a relay; teams of four (a cyclist, a bus rider, a walker and inline skater) do a circuit around the downtown of Gatineau and Ottawa starting in Gatineau, crossing the Ottawa River, passing the Parliament Buildings and re-crossing the river by another bridge, all the while exchanging a briefcase with the next relay "athlete" or green commuter.
Last year we had buskers distributing information leaflets during lunch hour, doing pantomime and tricks to attract attention to sustainable transportation.
We produce a team captain kit, which is being revamped this year
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Halifax Commuter Challenge
The TRAX Project of the Ecology Action Centre promotes sustainable transportation in the Halifax Regional Municipality through the organization of events such as the Commuter Challenge, trip reduction programs with large employers, public education, committee work and media engagement.
TRAX has been promoting the Commuter Challenge since 2000; in fact Halifax was the first community in the Maritimes to promote the event. The 2003 Challenge was the biggest ever, with 51 participating workplaces and 708 registered individuals.
The Commuter Challenge takes place during Bike Week in Halifax, allowing for cross-promotion of both events. Several workplaces held special events during the week, such as a cycling safety workshop at the Chronicle Herald and a presentation by Ecology Action Centre's theatre group, "Hemlock Circus" at Public Works and Government Services. TRAX offered a grand prize randomly drawn from all participants of two nights stay at the Whitman Inn near Kejimkujik National Park, which was very well received. Several individual workplaces also offered additional prizes.
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Hamilton Commuter Challenge
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| Mr. Pelchat, winner of our Creative Commuter Challenge in 2003, canoed to work on Clean Air Day. Permission to use photo has been granted. |
Green Venture is an environmental non-profit in the City of Hamilton that promotes water and energy efficiency, waste management techniques and pollution prevention to local area homeowners. We have been organizing the Hamilton Commuter Challenge since 2000.
Hamilton has recently celebrated five years of Commuter Challenge success. Over the last 5 years, approximately 8000 individuals have made an active commitment to improving Hamilton’s local air quality by using active or sustainable modes of transportation to reach their destinations. The 2004 Hamilton Commuter Challenge had participation from 38 local organizations and 1820 individuals. These exceptional Hamiltonians travelled over 157000 km by active and sustainable transportation and prevented over 40 tonnes of air pollution during Environment week, May 30th - June 5th 2004.
In April, the campaign was kicked off with our annual Corporate Media Breakfast in the luxurious Hamilton Chamber of Commerce dinning room. Clean Air Day, June 2nd was a huge success! The Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) once again provided free one-day transit stickers for workplaces to distribute to their employees. Further, GO Transit, HSR and Green Venture employees took the opportunity to thank Hamilton’s transit users by distributing refreshments and 1000 newspapers at the GO Station and Gore Park’s HSR hub. Together, Hamilton Mayor Larry DiIanni, Green Venture staff, Commuter Challenge Sponsors, Co-ordinators and participants celebrated the success of the 2004 Hamilton Commuter Challenge at our wrap-up event, the Tally Finale, June 24th. At this event awards were presented to recognize Hamilton’s Outstanding Workplaces, Hamilton’s Unsung Commuter Heroes, Commuter Challenge Sponsors and prizes were presented to the Grand Prize draw winners.
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Kamloops Commuter Challenge
The City of Kamloops has been very active around sustainable transportation issues. Kamloops has a Community Energy Plan, an award-winning TravelSmart Plan (integrated land use and transportation planning document), Bicycle Master Plan, Pedestrian Master Plan, and an Official Transit Plan. The City launched a Safer City Program in 2001 to identify and fund improvements to dangerous intersections and areas of automobile-pedestrian and bicycle-automobile conflict in the city.
The City is currently implementing traffic calming measures as well as trip reduction programs and is converting the fleet to alternative fuels.
The City has promoted the Challenge since at least 1997. In 2003, three workplaces participated. Over the years, the City has organized many different kinds of events to promote Clean Air Day and the Commuter Challenge. Examples include encouraging challenges between organizations and other cities, handing out prizes for people taking alternative transportation, and hosting breakfasts and events in the park.
The City promotes the Commuter Challenge "year round" through our monthly newsletter, the Pollution Solution. Copies of the Pollution Solution are available online at http://www.kamloops.ca/environment/pollution/index.html (click on "pollution solution").
A specific example of the types of Commuter Challenge articles within the Pollution Solution can be found at: http://www.city.kamloops.bc.ca/environment/pdfs/psnews/2003/psmay2003.pdf
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London Commuter Challenge
Over the years, the City of London and the Thames Region Ecological Association have shared responsibility for promoting the Commuter Challenge.
The City of London has had resources assigned to Transportation Demand Management (TDM) since 2000. The role of the TDM Office is to promote the use of alternatives to the single occupancy vehicle to all Londoners. The City specifically promotes participation by its employees in the Commuter Challenge.
The Thames Region Ecological Association (TREA) is a local, non-profit, registered charity established in November of 1986. The purpose of TREA is to promote environmental awareness to its members and the community of London. TREA established Bike to Work Week in the late 1980s. Since then it has become known as the London Bicycle Festival, which takes place the first week of June. The Commuter Challenge was incorporated into the celebrations in the mid 1990s and the two events are promoted jointly.
The Commuter Challenge has been promoted to Londoners for 10 years. Yearly participation in the Bicycle Festival and the Commuter Challenge has ranged between 800 and 1500 individuals.
Promotion has been primarily to the public at large, with mail-outs and follow-up calls to a select group of local businesses. In the mid 90s, promotion was done to schools with a "Green Spoke" award.
A special challenge ran for a number of years between the City of London, Bell Canada, London Life and Canada Trust. The purpose was for the four large organizations to challenge each other. The company with the greatest participation rate was announced and individual participants were entered into a draw for a prize.
The Bicycle Festival has promoted a number of events for children and adults. Some of the events include: a children's bicycle safety session, breakfast bicycle information and check-up session, daily Commuter Challenge sign-up sessions, bicycle tours highlighting local trails, and a recumbent bike show.
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Nanaimo Commuter Challenge
Nanaimo’s Commuter Challenge 2004 took place as part of Bike Week from May 30 to June 6, 2004. Our participation rate rose from 451 participants in 2003 to 4,893 participants in 2004, an increase of more than 1,000 per cent. This increase resulted in the main from participation by students and teachers as a result of a implementing a strategy using a system of promotions and rewards.
A program was developed for all schools whereby we tried to make the school coordinator’s job easy and fun. This involved relieving the school coordinators of the task of data entry on the Commuter Challenge website, providing a pizza dinner for the winning class of each school, a medallion for the winning student of each school and a T- shirt for all school coordinators. We decided to focus on one day – Bike to School Day – rather than asking the coordinators to drum up enthusiasm for the whole week. We also developed a form that could be photocopied and distributed to each class of each participating school so that students could simply fill in how they got to school.
In addition, a personalized letter was sent to each school in Nanaimo (public and private) and followed up with a phone call to each school principal. This approach resulted in a high degree of participation – 29 Schools out of 40 in Nanaimo, and a fairly high degree of commitment by the school coordinators.
A group mail system was also created for the school coordinators and provided them with updates, tips on how to encourage involvement at the schools and other information.
A festive environment was created throughout the week with activities such as “Happy Hours” – providing snacks and support to commuter cyclists on their way home, an Awards Ceremony, a Bike Week Launch, Bicycle Maintenance Workshops, a Bike Fair, a Film Night, a “Trails to Ales Ride” as well as a Family Ride.
We look forward to defending our championship again this year!
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Northwest Territories Commuter Challenge
The Arctic Energy Alliance is involved in energy efficiency and renewable energy promotion and also implements the EnerGuide for Houses program in the Northwest Territories. The Alliance took charge of the Climate Change Centre, created in 2001 and at that point decided to include transportation issues in its mandate. The "Don't Drive to Work" week was developed in 2001 using social marketing tools to get locals in Yellowknife involved; this event was in many ways similar to the Commuter Challenge. In 2002, Yellowknife was challenged by the City of Whitehorse to participate in the Challenge for the first time. While Yellowknife had to accept defeat against Whitehorse, the event was a great success with almost 300 people participating from about 20 organizations!
In 2003, politicians and local champions requested that the event be broadened to include other communities outside of Yellowknife. The NWT Challenge was born, and in its first year, a total of six communities participated with 42 workplaces and 241 people registered. The community of N'Dilo was the national winner for the under 100,000 population category, with over 7% of their population participating. The Band was given a prize pack put together by the Arctic Energy Alliance and the Government of the Northwest Territories Department of Health and Social Services.
To kick off the Commuter Challenge and Clean Air Day, a barbeque was held in downtown Yellowknife both in 2002 and 2003, organized by the Green Team. An Environmental Fair was also held. Many MLAs, city councilors local businessmen, government employees and people from the community came and enjoyed the events.
Promoting the Commuter Challenge in the North presents some unique challenges. Given the fact that the communities are so small, issues such as commuter stress and air pollution do not resonate with the local population. As a result, the focus in the messages was the importance of healthy living. Also, many people do not commute in the traditional sense of traveling from home to work, as they are flown in to work for specific periods of time from their communities to the mines.
The approach to promote the event also differs as many people have less experience with web-based tools or do not have access to the internet. As a result, organizers phoned people, faxed sign-up sheets, and entered people's results on the website on their behalf. In addition, posters were created specifically for the Northwest Territories.
NWT Commuter Challenge Poster 2003
NWT Letter to Communities 2003
NWT Promotional Letter
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Ottawa Commuter Challenge
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| Minister of Environment, David Anderson, kicks off the 2003 Green Commuter Relay! Permission to use photo has been granted. |
EnviroCentre is a local non-profit group based at City Hall in the nation's capital. EnviroCentre has been involved in sustainable transportation for over five years with Travel Tune-Ups and the Active & Safe Routes to School program. 2004 will be our second year organizing the Commuter Challenge.
The 2004 Commuter Challenge reached new heights this year with a record number of participants. This year’s event involved over 17,000 commuters in the National Capital Region demonstrating significant growth from the previous years. There were 432 different workplaces involved in the event with some companies achieving a one hundred percent participation rate. This indicates that, at some point during the event, every single employee used a sustainable mode of transportation to commute to work.
Every year, the Commuter Challenge is launched with the ever-popular Green Commuter Relay, which travels from the Museum of Civilization and past Parliament Hill. Teams compete via cycling, walking, bussing and in-line skating and passing a briefcase 'baton'. Last year, Minister of the Environment David Anderson attended to start the race! The week continued with many exciting events including:
- Special group walks, information booths, cycling safety and car sharing workshops, historical bike rides, transportation fairs, breakfasts and much more.
Please check out www.envirocentre.ca for more information!
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Regina Commuter Challenge
The City of Regina has a commitment to reduce greenhouse gases. Goals have been set corporately and for the community. The Cool Down the City Program, which coordinates the Commuter Challenge in Regina, was established to help further greenhouse gas reduction goals in the community. The City of Regina has coordinated the Commuter Challenge locally since 1999. 2004 will be the sixth year!
In the year 2003, a total of 26 workplaces participated in the Commuter Challenge with over 1000 participants!
Typically, a Kick-Off event is held in Downtown Regina. Mayor Pat Fiacco presents plaques to the previous year's representatives from local winning workplaces in each workplace category.
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Vancouver Commuter Challenge
Better Environmentally Sound Transportation (BEST) is a Vancouver based non-profit charity that strives to make our communities healthier places to live by promoting sustainable transportation, land-use planning, and pedestrian, cycling and transit-oriented neighbourhoods.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the GVRD Commuter Challenge. BEST has put on the Commuter Challenge as part of its "workplace" programs for nine consecutive years. Each year, organisations compete on Clean Air Day, a Wednesday in early June, for the Commuter Challenge awards and honours. In 2004, we had 67 registered organisations and 9,235 individuals participating. This is a marked increase from the first year, which had approximately 6600 individuals participating.
In addition to the actual Commuter Challenge event, BEST holds three supporting events.
1. A Planning Seminar on Tuesday May 3rd designed to support and prepare workplace coordinators. This is a great way to meet other participants and brainstorm ideas of how to motivate your employees.
2. The second annual Eco-Challenge multi-relay commuter race is to be held on Monday June 6th. The multi-modal relay showcases the many modes that peoples can take advantage of during their commute. It is a fun event between a few teams. If you are interested in participating in this years event contact Fionna Gossling, Commuter Challenge Coordinator by phone at 604-689-4467 or by email fionna@best.bc.ca
3. Awards Ceremony will be held on Wednesday June 29th to provide a high profile environment to congratulate winners.
Organisations also add their own prizes to the competition, such as free barbecue lunches, Clean Air Day trophies, banners congratulating winners and financial donations to charities. Some host events on the day of the competition, while others do things before or after the big day. There are also organisations that run inter-departmental or inter-floor challenges to get the team spirit flowing.
We have been told that organisations love the Commuter Challenge because it allows people to try a more sustainable form of transportation for a day or a week and it keeps the regular green commuters motivated and involved.
In our largest category, VanCity is consistently one of the leaders and they sum up the value to businesses: "Being a leader on climate change is a natural for VanCity. Encouraging staff to choose alternative transportation when travelling to and from work is all part of what we do to enhance the well-being of our employees, our communities, and the environment." Priscilla Boucher, Senior Manager, CSR Strategy.
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Victoria Case Study
City Green is a non-profit community initiative that empowers people and organizations to enhance their health, save money and reduce their environmental impact. City Green runs a program called STEP, the Sustainable Transportation Empowerment Program which involves training businesses to engage in trip reduction programs, and supporting and organizing sustainable transportation events such as Walk Week, Clean Air Day and Commuter Challenge.
City Green has promoted the Challenge since 2002. In 2003, a total of 61 workplaces participated with almost 850 individuals registering!
In 2003, a multi-modal Corporate Relay race was held on Clean Air Day for interested workplaces with eight teams participating. Other special events included a Breakfast on the Bus and a Spot the Celebrity contest with prizes.
Victoria Spot the Celebrity Ad 2003
Victoria Multimodal Corporate Relay 2003
Victoria Celebrity Invitation 2003.doc
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Waterloo Commuter Challenge
An event team made up of local NGO’s and government agencies typically coordinates the Commuter Challenge in Waterloo Region. The team of planning partners involved in the early stages of development of the event in Waterloo Region typically includes representatives from the Citizen's Advisory Committee for Air Quality (Waterloo Region) and the Region of Waterloo (Transportation Planning, Public Health and Grand River Transit). During its 7 year history, various NGOs have also participated in the planning and implementation including: One Tonne Challenge, Waterloo Interest Public Research Group (WPIRG), Transport Canada and the Lung Association.
These representatives form the event team that plays a leadership role in recruiting workplaces, promoting the event within their own networks and coordinating media events. The success of this event, however, would not be possible without the more than 200 workplace and school coordinators who have committed time and energy to encourage their colleagues, friends and family to take part in this community-focused sustainable transportation promotional event over the years.
A workplace support coordinator facilitates local workplace participation by arranging a peer-group meeting prior to the Challenge. This meeting allows for a variety of engagement strategies and event components to be delivered, as well as the chance to meet the always friendly opponents. Registration support and promotion details are provided and the coordinators take away a personalized message which then gets forwarded to colleagues through email networks, newsletters and conversations around the water cooler.
The event team promotes the Commuter Challenge by a variety of avenues. We get the word out through well-established general messaging tools such as posters, busboard ads, radio spots and print advertising. We submit media releases that encourage a variety of local opportunities in which to participate. Regional Chair Ken Seiling initiates the outreach by sending Invitation letters urging new workplaces to participate and compete against others in their community and industry.
In past years, a number of Challenge coordinators organize special events to help celebrate and promote the event in their workplace. Walking Wednesdays was created to engage school teachers and children to participate, a transit promotion for National Clean Air Day called VIP Day recognized transit riders for their contribution, a Sustainability Fair, BBQs with information booths and a wacky bike circuit continued the momentum.
In 2005 in Waterloo Region over 2,000 area residents traveled over 175,000 km by active and sustainable ways of travel and keeping over 34,000 kg of carbon dioxide of emissions from the air. The event team is striving for ever increasing success in 2006.
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Winnipeg Commuter Challenge
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| Winnipeg Mayor, Glen Murray, speaks at the Commuter Challenge launch in 2003. Permission to use photo has been granted. |
The Winnipeg Commuter Challenge is coordinated by the Green Commuting Initiatives (GCI) of Resource Conservation Manitoba. GCI promotes sustainable transportation practises with Manitoba workplaces and schools by fostering active and green modes of commuting (public transit, ridesharing, cycling and walking).
The Commuter Challenge 2004, May 31 - June 4, will mark the Challenge's fifth anniversary in Winnipeg.
Winnipeg finished first in the National standings for the first time ever for the 2003 Commuter Challenge. More than 10,000 Winnipeggers from 150 workplaces and schools travelled some 400,000 green kilometres, managing to avoid 125 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions!
Resource Conservation Manitoba, along with our sponsors, Olympia Cycle & Ski, Mountain Equipment Co-op, Winnipeg Transit, and Commuter Connections held the following special promotions in 2003:
Big Bike Giveaway!
Well - it's not really a giveaway! Challenge participants showed their Green Commuting Stripes for a chance to win a brand-new, custom-fitted bicycle from Olympia Cycle and Ski!
Self-Propelled Contest
In the spirit of Clean Air Day - Wednesday June 4th, 2003 - participants who self-propelled their way to work had a chance to win environmentally-friendly and socially-responsible gear from Mountain Equipment Co-op!
Free Transit for a Year
Participants who took transit during the week of the Challenge and registered their kilometres as a Challenge participant, had their name entered in a draw for a free Transit pass for one year!
Commuter Connections Celebration
One winning workplace was rewarded for its ridesharing prowess with a one-year membership to the Commuter Connections web-based carpool.ca service!
RCM held a "wrap up event" at the International Institute for Sustainable Development, where pizza and beverages were served in an informal 'awards ceremony'. Winning workplaces received prize packages and certificates, and shared stories about their favourite "Challenge moment".
For more information and Commuter Challenge facts be sure to check out Resource Conservation Manitoba's website at www.resourceconservation.mb.ca.
Winnipeg Highlights 2003
Winnipeg Poster 2003
Winnipeg Promotional Letter 2004
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Whitehorse Commuter Challenge
| The Commuter Challenge has been running in Whitehorse since 2002 when
the City of Whitehorse introduced the event and took the lead in coordination.
2006 will be the fourth year that the Recreation and Parks Association of
the Yukon (RPAY) will be coordinating the Challenge.
In addition to promoting active and sustainable modes of transportation
and the associated environmental benefits, the Recreation and Parks Association
of the Yukon has a vested interest in promoting healthy, active lifestyles
to Yukoners. The Commuter Challenge is a perfect event for both environmental
and health messages.
|
|
For the last 3 years, Whitehorse has come in 1st place for its population category
(10,000 to 49,999). To help celebrate the Commuter Challenge we have organized
various activities over the years including:
- organized bike rides to the City of Whitehorse pancake breakfast
- bike maintenance workshops
- bike ride tours of new bike routes around the City
- bike trip slide shows – another way to celebrate the bike as a mode of travel!
- free yoga, and tai chi sessions
- talks on health and nutrition
- free City of Whitehorse transit on Clean Air Day
- free cookies and coffee at the Alpine Bakery and Zola’s Coffee shop for arriving via sustainable/active transportation
Businesses from the community always step up and donate wonderful draw prizes to the event, which all participants have a chance to win. In the past we have given out prizes to the winning workplaces (based on size categories) which have included commuter bikes, and catered lunches. For 2006 we plan to offer bragging rights as a workplace prize, and a $500 gift certificate to Icycle Sports, a local bike shop, as a grand draw prize that everyone has a chance to win. There is added incentive for Workplace Team Captains – they are entered into a separate draw to win a $100 gift certificate to a local outdoors shop.
For 2006 RPAY and the City of Whitehorse have partnered up to offer Wheel
2 Work – a biking program where Whitehorse residents are offered the opportunity
to virtually ride the Kluane to Chilkat Bike Relay – a 238 km race from Haines
Junction, Yukon, to Haines, Alaska. Participants track their km’s cycled to
and from work and receive incentive prizes as they reach checkpoints along the
way. Upon completion, names are entered into a draw to win a fancy new bike!
We hope that Wheel 2 Work will
encourage more participation in the Commuter Challenge and that Whitehorse residents
take advantage of the new infrastructure that the City of Whitehorse has now
made available to active commuters!
Visit www.rpay.org for full local Commuter Challenge information.
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Organizations
ConocoPhillips - Calgary, AB
2004 was ConocoPhillips first year participating in the Commuter Challenge, however it was the second year of participation for our Bicycle User’s Group, an employee organized initiative to encourage healthy and sustainable commuting.
“We definitely exceeded everyone’s expectations, including our own,” says Kathy Taerum, who initiated CPC’s involvement in the Commuter Challenge. “Our 2004 goal was aimed at doubling last year’s results. We just didn’t know how willing and enthusiastic everyone would be,” she says, noting that in 2003, 32 employees took part and logged almost 4,000 km. “It takes such a small effort. It builds camaraderie and it lets us use the city in a responsible way.”
Doubling last year’s results wasn’t an obstacle for our employees, as 188 participants logged an incredible 21,333 kilometers over the 5-day Commuter Challenge period. “We ran and walked, we bladed and carpooled, and we jumped on the bus. And in doing all of this, we saved $103,616 in fuel costs and prevented 311 tonnes of Co2 emissions from ever reaching the air”, says Kathy Cahill, our Commuter Challenge company rep.
How’d we do it? In the weeks leading up to the 2004 Commuter Challenge we provided a blitz of communication to our employees. Posters were distributed on every floor, and dates were posted on our intranet site and electronic data walls. We also displayed a running tab of how many kilometers had been logged by ConocoPhillips employees in comparison to the other organizations in our category. It turns out our employees are a competitive bunch! “I guess people just got it in their heads that this was a good idea,” says Cahill, who maintains that it was clear that everyone was doing their best to take part.
ConocoPhillips has plans to participate in the 2005 Commuter Challenge. Our goal for next year? Defend our number one spot, with the most environmentally friendly traveled kilometers by an organization in our category. Says Taerum," You are what you do every day." Besides the recognition that ConocoPhillips employees logged more kilometers than our peers during the Commuter Challenge, CPC employees are proud of the fact that these good habits are maintained year-round.
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Defence Construction Canada - Ottawa, ON
Defence Construction Canada (DCC) is a Crown corporation, created in 1951 to assist our sole client, Canada’s Department of National Defence (DND) in developing, building and maintaining the facilities infrastructure that defends Canada and its interests. Over time, we have grown beyond construction to provide a host of other value-added services, including project management services, environmental services and operational support services. At DCC we pride ourselves on providing dedicated services to our client, conducting business fairly with consultants, contractors and employees, and staffing our organization with a competent team dedicated to working to the highest industry standards.
DCC is committed to the principles of sound environmental stewardship, including those related to sustainable development and to the practice of due diligence. Our Environmental Management Framework outlines our corporate strategic direction and long-term objectives when it comes to addressing the environmental aspects our activities.
DCC participated in the Commuter Challenge for the first time in 2004 at Head Office in Ottawa with excellent results! Seventy percent of our employees participated, resulting in a second place finish in the category of 101-500 employees. Of those who did participate, the majority regularly take some mode of sustainable transportation to and from work everyday.
In addition to having an environmentally conscience staff, the high participation rate in the Commuter Challenge at DCC was the result of: daily internal e-mails; announcements at weekly staff gatherings; posters displayed on each floor; visits to each employee personally; prizes awarded randomly at the end of the week for all who participated; and a mass entry of all who participated, rather than self-registration by the employee.
It is hoped that due to the great success of the Commuter Challenge at DCC’s Head Office in it’s first year of participation, that there will be the opportunity for DCC’s regional offices in Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario and Western Canada to participate in the future as well.
Contact Information:
Kristen Sanderson
Environmental Services
Defence Construction Canada
Tel.: (613) 998-4820
E-Mail: Kristen.Sanderson@dcc-cdc.gc.ca
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Environment Canada - National
Environment Canada has participated in Clean Air Day and the Commuter Challenge since these programs were first created. In 2004, Environment Canada almost doubled last year’s participation rate. Environment Canada was also awarded a prize from Go for Green for the highest participation rate in their category.
On Clean Air Day, employees across Canada volunteered at conferences and bicycle/walking/bus workshops. In the National Capital Region (NCR), employees participated in a scenic walk from Place Vincent Massey to a nearby Gatineau Park.
In terms of communication, the Internet bulletin (which is circulated to all Environment Canada employees) published Commuter Challenge articles, as well as pieces on related topics of interest. The articles dealt with subjects such as Commuter Challenge registration, bike safety, and even profiled an exemplary employee. A final article included a photo gallery of events which took place during the week-long Commuter Challenge.
Additionally, NCR employees were greeted each morning by an e-mail that offered tips on alternative methods of transportation including the bus, walking, biking, carpooling and tele-working. Each article contained practical information, pointers, news about forthcoming NCR events, as well as useful links. It was a first and these messages met much positive feedback. In addition to electronic communication, Commuter Challenge posters were displayed throughout all Environment Canada office buildings, and Clean Air Day brochures were distributed to employees as requested.
As always, students and employees were of inestimable value. Students participated in clean air information sessions, and were treated to a pizza lunch in exchange for their commitment to volunteer. Employees and students circulated office buildings, offering information and inciting colleagues to register for event on the Commuter Challenge Web site. Furthermore, Green Team employees organised a walk through downtown Ottawa and Gatineau to celebrate Clean Air Day and inform citizens. Environment Canada also relied on its Commuter Challenge representatives in all NCR and regional offices. Some employees organised contests with their work colleagues. These coordinated efforts ensured the Commuter Challenge’s success.
For next year, Environment Canada intends to prepare its material in advance in order to share with other government departments. Information for employees will be re-worked based on suggestions, comments etc. We will circulate updates with the Internet bulletin.
Thanks to all!
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Export Development Canada - Ottawa, ON
EDC has participated in the Commuter Challenge every year since 1999 and has achieved a participation rate above 80% each time. In 2004, EDC’s employees achieved its highest participation rating ever, with 91% of employees participating. Due to these fantastic results, in 2004, EDC celebrated its sixth time as the top organization in its category. There are several reasons why EDC has achieved this high level of participation. Most importantly, EDC plays an active role in many environmentally friendly initiatives and the Commuter Challenge is one of those initiatives. The Commuter Challenge is also in line with EDC’s core values: People, Excellence, Learning and Passion. Other reasons include a strong commitment and support from EDC’s upper management, an easy registration process for employees, access to changing and indoor bike storage facilities as well as an intranet site where employees can check their results.
What they do:
During the weeks leading up to the Commuter Challenge, EDC distributes posters to every floor and announces the dates of the challenge on the intranet site. They also provide some fun incentives to get more employees involved. For example, a floor-by-floor challenge is conducted to help achieve more participation. The winning floor receives a pizza lunch. Also, daily prizes are awarded randomly to employees who commuted that day and grand prizes are awarded randomly at the end of the week, where each commute becomes a possible chance to win.
EDC has found that the simpler they make it for employees to register, the more participation they will receive. Rather than asking each employee to register as an individual, they do a mass entry at the end of the week. It is also not unusual to see EDC’s Vice President’s, Senior Vice-Presidents and President waiting at the elevators helping to register employees.
About 60 EDC employees are regular cycle-commuters, 5% of their total staff. Due to this demand, at the end of 2001, EDC rented a second parking spot to dedicate to bicycle racks. In the 2003 and 2004 challenges, a third spot was donated for the week of the challenge by the building’s owner Gillin Engineering, complete with bike racks.
Many of the ideas that have been used by EDC are simple and can be used by other companies. They have shown that having upper management’s backing and support truly does encourage others to participate. The Commuter Challenge committee has also done something that makes running the event easier and easier each year; they have incorporated the Commuter Challenge into EDC culture. Employees now expect the challenge in the first week of June and actively participate in it on their own. Floors engage in friendly challenges and senior management takes pride in EDC’s Commuter Challenge accomplishments.
Contact info:
Rhonda Raycroft: w 598-2807, rraycroft@edc.ca
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Marbek Resource Consultants vs. Stratos Inc. - Ottawa, ON
Marbek Resource Consultants and Stratos Inc. were the two companies that achieved maximum results for the Commuter Challenge. They challenged each other to see whose company could achieve the best results, leading to head-to-head battle ending in a tie, 100% each.
Marbek and Stratos are very similar companies. Marbek is a fairly small consultancy company specializing in research on energy and environment-related issues such as climate change, sustainable communities, renewable energy and energy efficiency. Stratos is a small consulting firm that provides management and policy advice to public and private sector clients on issues related to the environment and sustainable development.
The commuting environment in both companies has always been quite positive with at least 75% of people at both workplaces using sustainable modes of transportation on a regular basis, even before the Challenge began. However, both companies were able to convince a few more people to use sustainable modes of transportation. As stated by the Marbek team captain: “In more general terms the challenge helps to entrench the idea of sustainable transportation deeper into the company. I think that we’re much more likely to take the train instead of a plane when going to Toronto, Montreal etc. and to use conference calls instead of meetings whenever possible. We’re also working on an official Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy that will go further to embed these concepts in our working life.” Stratos team captain stated that they enjoyed the experience as it provided them with an opportunity to participate in a ‘shared event’ – something that rarely occurs in an office that often divides itself among numerous and often competing priorities. Everyone endured the same rainy bike conditions on the way to work; and as environment specialists, it provided both Marbek and Stratos with an opportunity to ‘walk the talk’.
With a round of drinks riding on the bet, the competition soon escalated to new heights. The challenge was promoted through internal e-mail memos, regular staff meetings, and friendly reminders from the “social committee”, ensuring that everyone was getting involved. Both companies noted that the extra incentive and competitive edge introduced to the Commuter Challenge when trying to outdo another local company was their favorite part of the event. Stratos team captain stated: “the most enjoyable part of the challenge was coming up with creative responses to the ongoing banter between the two firms.”
The team building that resulted from this Challenge was only one of many benefits that the company enjoyed. They had a lot of fun getting to know each other and the employees of the other company as well. They hope to compete against each other once again next year with new outlines as to determining the ‘real’ winner since both companies achieved 100% participation. However, they do hope to up the wager from simply a drink at the local watering hole to a donation by the losing company to a charity of the winner’s choice. Thus, these two companies not only lead the way in environmental initiatives but also, are extending themselves to make the Commuter Challenge a true community event. Both Stratos and Marbek have set a new standard for the Commuter Challenge in the National Capital Region and both companies have found participating in the event a positive experience for everyone involved on both a professional and personal level.
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Nexen - Calgary, AB
Nexen believes that we can make a difference within our sphere of influence, and that business must take an active leadership role though the establishment of ethical and environmental principles. We appreciate programs such as the Commuter Challenge that give us an opportunity to support local environmental stewardship initiatives.
Nexen’s strategy is to ‘Grow Value Responsibly’, which means that we conduct our business in an economic, environmental, and socially responsible manner. Participating in the Commuter Challenge has, for many years, been one of Nexen’s favorite initiatives. In fact, we have been associated with the Commuter Challenge since its inception. This program is a fun and interactive way to encourage our employees to live ‘sustainably’. With over 1400 employees in our Calgary office, Nexen recognizes the Challenge as an opportunity to make a significant difference in reducing carbon dioxide emissions and improving employee health not only during Commuter Challenge week, but also throughout the year. To promote participation, we stage awareness days involving our executive management team, we educate employees through our intranet site, we develop environmentally related displays and maximize the use of our summer student network to convey program details. As an incentive, we also provide daily prize draws for registered participants. This year, 446 employees participated in the Commuter Challenge.
Nexen is an independent, Canadian based global energy and chemicals company that explores for, develops, produces and markets crude oil and natural gas worldwide. Our core operations are located in Yemen, Western Canada and the Gulf of Mexico, with producing properties in Australia and Nigeria.
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Urban Systems - Edmonton, AB
Urban Systems is 200 people who have chosen to work together in a professional practice to provide great service to our many valued clients throughout B.C. and Alberta. To serve our clients in both the public and private sectors, we combine the talents of professionals, technologists and support staff in the fields of engineering, community planning and landscape architecture. In business since 1975, we were recently recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers.
Urban Systems has participated in the Commuter Challenge since 2001. This year was the second year that our six offices (Calgary, Edmonton, Fort St. John, Kamloops, Kelowna, and Richmond) challenged one another. Edmonton was tops in the company at 70% participation. We are the newest and one of the smallest offices in the company, so creating a supportive environment for all to participate was easy and initiatives like Commuter Challenge are strongly supported by the company culture.
Before the Commuter Challenge, two people in the Edmonton office carpooled, one walked, and another cycled (out of 10), so we had an advantage. Progress was made as one person cycled 20 km roundtrip and committed to cycling once per week weather permitting. The rest of the office did their best, bussing and teleworking.
Looking to the future, Urban Systems is participating in Walk to Whistler and the Edmonton office is talking about getting involved in Corporate Challenge 2005, and of course next year’s Commuter Challenge.
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Ongoing Challenges
Whistler Way Commuter Challenge, BC
With over 800 Whistler employees from 83 different businesses participating in the Fourth Annual Whistler Way Commuter Challenge, which took place from September 22 – October 5, the Challenge is definitely still running strong! Those businesses that did participate definitely went all out with numerous small and medium businesses achieving 100% participation!
A big draw to the Whistler Way Commuter Challenge is the grand prize give-away of a 2005/06 Whistler-Blackcomb Season Pass! During the fall, pretty much everyone in town is talking about the upcoming season and a chance to win a season pass is rarely passed up. Commuter Challenge participants receive points for each trip they take by sustainable transportation (walk, bike, bus, blade, carpool, etc.) and are entered to win the grand prize only if they achieve enough points.
This year’s Challenge included several new events throughout the two weeks such as the kick-off pancake breakfast topped with a Commuter Fashion Show and a free hot dog lunch aboard a parked transit bus. Other fun events included a “How Slow Can You Go?” bike race through a challenging obstacle course, a Coffee/Slushy Run where participants received a free coffee or slushy for taking sustainable transportation, and a free bicycle maintenance clinic. The events were held throughout the community to increase awareness of sustainable choices of transportation.
New to this year’s Challenge was the inclusion of the One-Tonne Challenge and making a commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions not only through transportation, but also through energy and waste management. By taking the One-Tonne Challenge, participants received 10 Commuter Challenge Bonus Points and a locally-made hemp “OTC” awareness bracelet (everyone’s a winner!). As if that isn’t enough, those One-Tonne Challenge participants were entered to win a brand new mountain bike (perfect for getting around our valley trail network).
The Commuter Challenge is an excellent way to promote sustainable transportation and reduce a community’s dependence on the automobile. The Resort Municipality of Whistler plans to do a follow up survey to the Challenge participants to determine the extent of behaviour change that occurred as a result. Whistler hopes to continue to build on the success of the Challenge for many years to come.
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