• Students arrive to school energized, better rested and ready to learn.
• Improved overall physical and mental health and well-being.
• Safer and stronger communities, as connections are made with neighbours while walking to and from school.
• Less vehicle traffic and road congestion, which is better for pedestrian safety and the environment.
• Families develop healthy long-term habits, together.

• Cross only at intersections or marked crosswalks.
• Stop, look left-right-left and shoulder check before crossing.
• Make eye contact with drivers, ensure drivers have stopped their vehicle before crossing, and keep looking for approaching vehicles while crossing.
• Be aware of what is happening around you, and avoid using your phone or headphones.
• Be seen by wearing reflective materials or bright clothes and using lights after dark and in poor weather.

Sources

• ICBC Pedestrian Safety
• RCMP Pedestrian Safety

Visit the City of North Vancouver and District of North Vancouver websites to download safe route to school maps.

• City of North Vancouver
• District of North Vancouver

The following initiatives are designed to support safe and active travel to and from school.

• Bike to School program. HUB Cycling's Bike to School program offers courses and activities for Grades 3 and up, as well as promoting and growing Metro Vancouver's Bike to School Week.
• Bike to School Week. Bike to School Week is an annual celebration to encourage students of all ages to bike, roll, or walk to school.
• Freedom Friday. An initiative often led by school PACs, Freedom Fridays are meant to encourage students to walk/roll to school on Fridays. PACs can scale their involvement from sending an email to families or hosting a Friday morning celebration at school. Resources to support PACs lead Freedom Fridays are available in the Additional Resources section below.
• Walking School Bus Program. This program brings students from the same school together to regularly walk to and from school under the supervision of designated adult leaders. Read about Kids Commute: A Walking School Bus Program, in which five NVSD elementary schools participated during the 2021/2022 school year. Information about future Walking School Bus opportunities will be posted here.

If students cannot walk, cycle or roll to school, then public transit, carpooling and drive-to-five are the next best options.

• Public transit. Through its Get on Board program, children aged 12 and under ride all BC Transit and TransLink services free of charge. Use Translink's trip planner tool to find bus schedules or trip plan.
• Public transit. Read Translink's guide to carpooling.
• Drive-to-five. This is a program where parents/guardians drop off and pick up their child(ren) at locations that are a five-minute walk from school. Talk to your child’s school to see if this option is available. Resources for schools include a guidebook and poster.