Active transportation in children over the years, 2010 -2018

The Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children Study covers health, well-being, social environments and health behaviours in students in grades 6 to 10 from across Canada, and is repeated every 4 years.

Active transportation can refer to all non-motorised, human-powered forms of travel and includes:

• Walking
• Biking
• Kick scooters
• Snowshoeing
• Skateboarding
• Non-motorised wheelchair
• Cross-country skiing
• In-line skating/rollerblading

Motorised Transport^{Footnote *}, Biking, Walking To Get to School—2010 to 2018

Overall, between 2010 and 2018, the use of motorised transport to get to school has increased from 67% to 74%, and particularly for:

• Girls, from 70% to 77% (there was no change for boys)
• 8^th graders, from 62% to 72% (there were no changes for 6^th, 7^th, 9^th and 10^th graders)

Overall, between 2010 and 2018, biking to school has increased from 2% to 4%, and particularly for:

• Boys, from 4% to 7% (there was no change for girls)
• 6^th graders, from 4% to 8%, and 7^th graders, from 2% to 6% (there were no changes for 8^th, 9^th and 10^th graders)

Overall, between 2010 and 2018, walking to school has decreased from 31% to 22%, and particularly for:

• 6^th graders, from 35% to 24%, and 8^th graders, from 36% to 24% (there were no changes for 7^th, 9^th and 10^th graders)

Among students who live less than 5 minutes from school

The good news:

• More are biking to school (an increase from 4% to 8%)

The bad news:

• Fewer are walking to school (a decrease from 52% to 39%)
• More are using motorised transport (an increase from 44% to 53%)

Make active transportation part of your healthy lifestyle

Learn more about active transportation at Canada.ca

• Search Physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep
• Get data PASS indicators
• Explore Bicycling Infrastructure
• Like us on Facebook at Healthy Canadians
• Follow us on Twitter at @GovCanHeath

Data source: Health Behaviour in School Aged Children Study, 2009/2010; 2013/2014; 2017/2018.