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And the Winners Are…

Commuter Challenge 2007!

Thousands of Commuters Make a Difference

OTTAWA, June 20, 2007 –Thousands of Canadians from over 170 communities and 1,757 workplaces walked, biked, took transit, carpooled or worked from home as part of the National Commuter Challenge that took place from June 3 to 9!  Communities, workplaces and individuals took steps towards better health and cleaner air…literally!

Thanks to the hard work from community and workplace coordinators, Go for Green is proud to announce this year’s top ranking communities in the following categories:

Population: 1 Million or more
Calgary, AB
Vancouver/Lower Mainland, BC
Toronto, ON

Population: 500,000 – 999,999
Winnipeg, MB
Ottawa, ON
Hamilton, ON

Population: 100,000 – 499,999
Central Okanagan including Kelowna, BC
Regina, SK
London, ON

Population: 50,000 – 99,999
Victoria, BC
Fredericton, NB
Prince George, BC

Population: 10,000 – 49,999
Whitehorse, YK
Comox Valley, C-B
Meaford, ON

Population: Under 10,000
Indian Head, SK
Grand Forks, BC
Smithers, BC

Other national winners include:

National Workplace
Mountain Equipment Co-op

Thousands of Canadians Walk the Talk for Commuter Challenge 2006!

OTTAWA, June 20, 2006 –Thousands of Canadians from nearly 150 communities walked, biked, took transit, carpooled or worked from home as part of the National Commuter Challenge that took place from June 4 to 10! Communities, workplaces and individuals took steps towards better health and cleaner air…literally!

Thanks to the hard work from community and workplace coordinators, Go for Green is proud to announce this year’s winners in the following categories:

COMMUNITIES

NATIONAL WORKPLACES

PROVINCIAL WORKPLACES

COMMUNITY WITH HIGHEST PARTICIPATION NATIONALLY
Whistler, BC

POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTION AWARD
McMaster University – Hamilton, ON

WINNERS OF MP3 PLAYERS COURTESY OF GO FOR GREEN
Kelly Siemens, Calgary, Alberta (Prairie Region)
Margaret Boyce, Gatineau, Québec
John Greenwood, Guelph, Ontario
Graeme Dimmick, Central Okanagan, British Columbia (Pacific & Northern Region)
Todd Murchison, Halifax, Nova Scotia (Maritime Region)

LOCAL WINNERS

Calgary, AB
1000 or more employees: ConocoPhillips Canada - Calgary
500 - 999 employees: Alberta Energy and Utilities Board - Calgary
100 - 499 employees: Trident Exploration Corporation
25 - 99 employees: MEC – Calgary, ECO Canada - Calgary
Less than 25 employees: Climate Change Central – Calgary, Desnoyers-Schuler Inc. Marketing and Communications

Central Okanagan/Kelowna, BC
100 or more employees: Interior Savings Credit Union
Less than 100 employees: Canadian Cancer Society
School Category: Kelowna Christian School (School Category)
Church Category: St. David’s Presbyterian Church

City of Greater Sudbury, ON

Sandra Ausma Mike Coughlin Scott Cosby Jason Innis Brian McMahon Dan Scott Angele Ray

Peter Stankiewicz Michael Pagnutti Maggie Delmege Lorrilyn Powers Leslie Keck Leanne Tucker Laura Stradiotto Karen Flett

Juli Noel de Tilly John Hogenbirk Jocelyne Boyce Dave Larsen Clinton Christianne Gervais Caroline Harrison Ann Fabbro

City of Kawartha Lakes, ON
Kawartha Conservation
The Upholstery Shop
DeNure Tours

Guelph, ON
Campus: University of Guelph

Halifax, NS

Gavin King Dave Jessop Stephen Cooke

Bridget Thomas Becky Field Nancy Vaughan

John Skelton Abigail Novak Gabrielle Riley

The Halifax grand prizewinner is Navoda Samarasekera
500 or more employees: Public Works and Government Services Canada - Halifax
101 - 250 employees: CBCL Consulting Engineers - Halifax

London, ON
1000 or more employees: City of London
Campus: University of Western Ontario

Markham & Richmond Hill, ON
iPod Nano MP3 Player: C.M. Rivers
$50 Home Depot Gift Card:
      Micheal Zuliani of IBM Canada - Markham (RESO)
      Cecile Willert of Jacques Whitford - Markham
$25 Mountain Equipment Co-op Gift Card: Gizem Gunal-Akgol of Jacques Whitford - Markham
Smart Commute T-Shirt:
      Jamie Bennett of Marshall Macklin Monaghan Ltd. - Thornhill & Markham Offices
      Catherine Morton of IBM Canada - Markham (RESO)
      Sandra Oliver of York Region Health Services
      Robert Bishop of Marshall Macklin Monaghan Ltd. - Thornhill & Markham Offices
      Robert Grimwood of Marshall Macklin Monaghan Ltd. - Thornhill & Markham Offices
      Wendy Rumney

Ottawa, ON
5000 or more employees:
      Statistics Canada (National Capital Region)
      Nortel
1001 - 5000 employees:
      Transport Canada
      University of Ottawa
501 - 1000 employees:
      Office of the Auditor General (Ottawa Headquarters)
      Ottawa Citizen
101 - 500 employees:
      Fairmont Chateau Laurier
      Parks Canada (National Office)
51 - 100 employees:
      Marks & Clerk
      Health Canada (Ottawa Legal Services)
1 - 50 employees:
      Go for Green
      Citizens for Safe Cycling
      Level 6 Inc.
      WNL Industries
      The French Baker

* Note: Each Ottawa category, with the exception of the 1-50 category, includes the top organizations from both the private and public sectors

Region of Durham, ON
iPOD Nano MP3 Player: Gezal Nasiri – Health
$100 Via Gift Certificate and a free bike tune-up from Bicycles Plus:
      Elizabeth Nickerson - Social Services
$50 Home Depot Gift Card and a free bike tune-up from Impala Bikes:
      Maciej Wieczorek - Works
      Christine Drimmie - CAO's Office
Clean Air Prize Pack with a bonus $25 gift card to Mountain Equipment Co-op:
      Julie Baird - Durham Region Transit
Running Room Book/Hat: Sevin Mohammed - Works

Toronto, ON
iPod Nano MP3 Player: Danielle Murray – City of Toronto – F&RE, Energy Efficiency Office
$50 Home Depot Gift Card:
      Katherine Hajer – FRI Corporation
      Toby Tenenbaum – J&K Outfitters
$50 Mountain Equipment Co-op Gift Card: Jim Chan – City of Toronto
Smart Commute T-Shirt:
      Alex Avdichuk – City of Toronto
      Allan Stokell – City of Toronto – M,L&S Training Centre
      Margaret Lewis – City of Toronto
      Moez Nasser – Canada Revenue Agency
      Marion Zimmer – Toronto Zoo Foundation
      Tanya Wozniak – Saint Michael’s Hospital

Vancouver/Lower Mainland, BC
25 employees: Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, 100% Participation
26 - 100 employees: David Suzuki Foundation, 100% Participation
101 - 250 employees: Vancouver Mariott Pinnacle Hotel, 90% Participation
251 - 500 employees: Mountain Equipment Coop, 98% Participation
500 or more employees: Vancity, 90% Participation

More to come…

Special congratulations go to the Resort Municipality of Whistler for achieving the highest percentage of participation among all communities in this national event for the second year in a row! Go for Green would also like to acknowledge the efforts of McMaster University for achieving the highest percentage of participation among colleges and universities across Canada, earning them the first ever Commuter Challenge Post-secondary Institution Award!

”Go for Green is proud of the efforts made by participants in this year's Commuter Challenge.” said Johanne Lacombe, National Executive Director of Go for Green. “This event shows the leaders of this country that health and the environment are priorities for Canadians. The Commuter Challenge is a first step toward important changes that need to occur for a better Canada.”

The Commuter Challenge is an annual friendly competition between Canadian communities to encourage as many people as possible to use sustainable and active modes of transportation during Clean Air Day (June 7) and Canadian Environment Week (June 4 – June 10). Once the mode(s) of transportation and the distance traveled were registered on the Commuter Challenge Web site, the database estimated for each participant the amount of pollution prevented had they been the sole occupant in an average size car driven at average speed.

Go for Green would like to thank everyone who took part in Commuter Challenge 2006. Congratulations to this year’s winners!!!

LAST YEAR'S WINNERS:

Go for Green is proud to recognize the following communities and workplaces for their outstanding efforts for Commuter Challenge 2005!

Communities
National Capital Region (Ottawa - Gatineau)
Winnipeg
Central Okanagan (including Kelowna)
Lethbridge
Whitehorse
Whistler

National Organizations
Public Works and Government Services Canada
Health Canada / Public Health Agency of Canada
Export Development Canada
Mountain Equipment Co-op
CH2M Hill Canada
National Energy Board of Canada
Golder Associates Ltd.
Cantest
Critical Control Solutions Inc.

Provincial Organizations
Province of Manitoba
Coast Capital Savings, BC
Alberta Energy and Utilities Board
North Shore Credit Union, BC
Saskatchewan Highways and Transportation
British Columbia Teachers' Federation (BCTF), BC
Department of Energy, NS
PEI Association of Newcomers to Canada