Trent University in Peterborough is the first post-secondary school to sign on with Commute Ontario, a free program available to municipalities, workplaces, and campuses across the province.
Funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation with the support of the City of Peterborough and Peterborough GreenUP, Commute Ontario aims to reduce vehicle travel in the province by 20 million kilometres over the next three years — eliminating an estimated 17 million kilograms of greenhouse gases — by encouraging sustainable and healthy travel options.
Trent University faculty, staff, and students will now have immediate access to Carpool Ontario at carpoolontario.ca, an online app from Commute Ontario that connects drivers with riders.
They will also have access to other programs, such as Active Switch (which encourages person-powered transportation) and the Emergency Ride Home program for faculty and staff. Additional resources will also be available, free of charge, on Trent’s own Commute Ontario information portal.
“I love the tagline for the program ‘make commute time your time’,” says Susan Sauvé, Transportation Demand Management Planner for the City of Peterborough. “It says it all. When I walk and bike, that is outdoor time for me. When I carpool or take transit, that is time for me to catch up with friends or the news.”
In addition to Trent University, Commute Ontario will soon be available to other workplaces and individuals in Peterborough.
Commute Ontario is operated by SustainMobility, a Mississauga-based non-profit social enterprise that received a $710,000 three-year grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. For more information, visit commuteontario.ca.
