Why Celebrate Walking?
Celebrating walking in our City contributes to a better walking environment for all Torontonians.

One of the key themes of the Toronto Walking Strategy is that "everyone is a pedestrian". As the Toronto Pedestrian Charter states, "every personal trip involves walking, alone or in combination with taking public transit, cycling, or driving". Walking is an important part of our daily travel and recreation.

A Toronto Walking Survey conducted in November 2007 showed that 81% of Torontonians walk for recreation or fitness. Walking is also an important part of our trips to work, school, shopping or to leisure activities. However, almost one-third of automobile trips in Toronto are 2 kilometres or shorter. By making walking an attractive choice and celebrating walking in our communities, we can encourage Torontonians to make many more of these short trips on foot.

Walking is a proven method of promoting personal health for people of all ages and it is an environmentally sustainable way to move. Decreasing levels of physical activity in our society are a contributing factor to higher levels of obesity, heart disease, diabetes and other chronic health problems. Increasing motor vehicle traffic has contributed to higher levels of ground level pollution and noise in all parts of the city.

Choosing to walk preserves our air quality, reduces noise pollution and improves our health.

Join us as we celebrate walking in Toronto.