27-05-2025
Active Commute Challenge kicking off June 1st
The people behind the Active Commute Challenge gathered Tuesday to kick off the month-long event, which starts June 1.
The friendly competition challenges people to use sustainable transportation methods to commute to work for the month of June. This includes walking, cycling, carpooling and public transit.
At a podium set up outside outside Confederation College in front of a very full bike rack, Thunder Bay District Health Unit public health nurse Leena Pehkonen said the challenge helps people develop healthy exercise habits and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
"We have such an improved cycling and biking infrastructure here in Thunder Bay, so it gives people a chance to kind of explore that, check out some routes and try something new," said Pehkonen, who is coordinator of the Active Commute Challenge.
Thunder Bay's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions was transportation, Pehkonen said. The goal of the challenge is to get cars off the road by replacing car trips with greener modes of transportation.
"Last year we replaced 3,000 car trips just during the month of June and 25,000 kilometres of people actively commuting," Pehkonen said.
Physical and mental health benefits
On top of reducing carbon footprint, the challenge can also help people kick-start a healthier lifestyle, said Janet DeMille, medical officer of health at the Thunder Bay District Health Unit.
The recommended amount of physical activity for adults is 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per week, she said.
"You can easily meet that with an active commute if you're walking or if you're biking. So that act improves people's physical health. It makes them stronger, it makes them more energetic, makes them healthier overall and, helps lower the risk of those chronic diseases," said DeMille.
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Spending time outside during an active commute also has mental health benefits, she said. Being in nature can positively impact people struggling with stress, anxiety, or depression, DeMille said. Commuting by foot, bike or carpool can also help increase social interaction, she said.
"You feel connected to other people in a way that you don't when we're all sort of separately in cars," said DeMille.
Confederation College Vice President Peter Myllymaa said that he's personally experienced the benefits of exercise DeMille described.
"I've been skiing, I started when I was two years old. So I've been at it for 57 years now, riding my bike, running. It's just incredible benefits from that," said Myllymaa.
While the challenge may appeal to seasoned active commuters, Myllymaa said people looking to try walking, cycling or other active ways of getting to work can make use of the many multi-use trails in the city and on the college campus.
"You can get from the north end of town to the south end of town without competing with traffic. And that's really good to have," he said.
The Active Commute Challenge kicks off June 1 and runs for the entire month of June.
