National Commuter Challenge – June 5-11, 2024

History of National Commuter Challenge

The first National Commuter Challenge took place in 1991. It was an inter-city competition back then and was part of an emerging trend of sustainable transport initiatives in Canada. Eight years later, the tracking system was introduced to make the challenge more competitive and effective. In 1997, the challenge went from an inter-city affair to a national one as more cities joined the movement. Two years later, the Sustainable Alberta Association (S.A.A.), a Calgary-based environmental group, received support from the federal government through the Climate Change Action Fund. The S.A.A. now had the responsibility of coordinating the National Commuter Challenge. They set up a website where people could register and keep track of their progress and the position of their workplace or district.

By 2000, 20 cities had registered for the National Commuter Challenge. In 2003, environmental minister David Anderson launched the challenge. Participants came from all provinces and territories. Justin Trudeau became the national spokesperson.

Today, the National Commuter Challenge is coordinated by a small team of volunteers from the S.A.A. office in Alberta. Funding for the program comes from registration fees paid by participants of the challenge, many of whom are major corporations in Canada. Regional coordinators also contribute to the City of Calgary and local foundations dedicated to sustainable transport. In 2021 more than 3,000 people participated, saving 76.5 tons of toxic emissions to the environment.