Nova Scotian Students Walk to School

Thousands of students, staff, parents and community members at almost 100 Nova Scotia schools are putting their best foot forward today, Oct. 6, for International Walk to School Day.

Premier John Hamm, Health Promotion Minister Rodney MacDonald, and Education Minister Jamie Muir joined students, staff and parents of Saint Mary's School in Halifax to walk and cycle for health, safety and the environment.

"Raising healthy children is everyone's responsibility and I'm encouraged to see so many Nova Scotia schools participating in helping their students be more active," said Premier Hamm. "I am glad that I could join students at Saint Mary's this morning to help them realize just how important physical activity is to their health, and how easy it can be to be active."

International Walk to School Day teaches children how walking, cycling or other active modes of transportation help improve health, reduce air pollution and climate change, and how they can minimize unsafe traffic congestion around schools.

Saint Mary's is one of almost 100 schools registered to participate this year, up from 80 schools in 2003. Two other schools include Pictou Elementary School, where community members and members of local organizations were invited to walk to school with students, and Brookland School in Sydney where the school is having a car-free parking lot and physical activities to launch the fall session of its Active Living program.

International Walk to School Day is an initiative of Active and Safe Routes to School (ASRTS), a national Go for Green program encouraging the use of active modes of transportation to and from school. In Nova Scotia, ASRTS is co-ordinated by the Ecology Action Centre in partnership with the Office of Health Promotion.