Active Neighbourhoods Canada's publications present our approach to co-designing active, healthy, and green neighbourhoods. Citizens, professionals, and decision-makers will find techniques and practical advice, in addition to innovative examples and case studies.
Health campuses are meant to improve human health within their walls, but how can they do so beyond the walls, in the neighbourhoods of which they are a part? A new health facility was slated for Bridgeland-Riverside in Calgary, Alberta, where residents had expressed a need for amenities, vibrancy, walkability, and age-friendly design. We wanted to know how a health facility could contribute to this vision. In March 2018, Sustainable Calgary held the 2018 Healthy Places event to share our work and start a local conversation. This publication summarizes our work and feedback from event participants.
This report details the successes, challenges, and lessons learned during our twelve Active Neighbourhoods community pilot projects. Discover how policymakers, professionals, community groups, and citizens can work together to develop plans and solutions that promote active transportation and active citizen engagement in communities. Three partners, the Montréal Urban Ecology Center, the Toronto Centre for Active Transportation and the Sustainable Calgary Society, have adopted an innovative cooperative approach across Canada. Published in November 2017.
Published in November 2017.
In urban areas, the speed of motorized traffic can create problems of safety and comfort for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as affect the tranquility of residents and users of public spaces. Learn more about traffic calming measures to reduce speed in our fourth fact sheet.
Published in Octobre 2016.
This guide was designed to give communities step-by-step support to carry out a participatory planning project. Whether it’s redesigning an intersection, securing a street, creating a public space, implementing a local travel plan, or greening a common courtyard, the proposed approach will allow you to make your project a truly collaborative initiative.
Published in 2016.
Participatory urban planning is a process with a great potential for transforming the city and its neighbourhoods with different stakeholders, but it is still necessary to plan for its success. Inspired by the community planning and the works of Jan Gehl and Jane Jacobs, this participatory process emphasizes the importance of citizen participation to create livable environments that meet the needs of the communities that inhabit them.
Published in June 2017.
This guide suggests 11 principles for improving mobility in neighbourhoods, to serve as a starting point for building cities that work for citizens. Accompanied by inspiring examples in Quebec, Ontario and Alberta, action items are proposed to enliven public space and get the city walking!
Published in May 2014. In french only.
Promoting active mobility in urban areas is an excellent strategy for sustainable development and public health. It is still necessary that the movements of vulnerable users can be done in a safe environment. Find out how it is possible to improve securing intersections and crossings in our fact sheet.
Published in October 2016.
Urban arteries (also known as “urban boulevards”) are densely populated and widely used, particularly by pedestrians. Due to traffic volume and high speeds, motorized traffic on arteries affects air quality, noise level, temperature, and pedestrian safety. In this fact sheet, we propose solutions for the shared use and animation of arteries and urban boulevards.
Published in October 2016.
Thoughtful development of commercial arteries—some of the liveliest public space in our cities and a central element in their cultural and economic dynamism—is essential to the enhancement of our cities. Our third fact sheet helps you discover proposals to make these places more friendly, accessible, green, and dynamic.
Published in October 2016.
To offset the harmful effects of heat islands, «greening» the city is a very effective strategy. From flower-covered balconies to large municipal parks, the spaces that lend themselves to these efforts come in all shapes and sizes. Greening is good for our physical and mental health, the environment and community building. So rollup your sleeves and get your hands in the soil!
Published in octobre 2016
Vision Zero is a road safety strategy that emerged in Sweden in the late 1990s. It comes down to a promising idea: no death or serious injury to the road network is acceptable. The core of this approach is therefore to eliminate fatal road crashes and serious injuries at the source through a comprehensive vision that includes engineering, citizen engagement, monitoring, evaluation and education. This principle adopted by many countries and even more cities shows that it is possible to improve the road safety record by changing our vision of the road system.
Published in march 2017. In french only.