Welcome to Active & Safe Routes to School
Active & Safe Routes to School (ASRTS) is community partners from several organizations throughout the Counties of Elgin, Middlesex, Oxford, and the cities of London and St. Thomas working together to promote and sustain ASRTS programs that encourage children and families to choose active transportation.
Steering committee
School travel planning
Resources
Current Initiatives
2025 Active & Sustainable School Travel iWalk Story Contest
The Elgin London Middlesex Oxford Active & Safe Routes to School Steering Committee is celebrating International Walk to School Month (October) by asking students to develop a media presentation designed to demonstrate learning of how students get to and from school each day, and why it is important to the environment. These presentations can take the form of a poster, drawing, video, or short story.
Students are encouraged to make clear connections to the impacts of climate change and how it can help the environment. Choose one of these prompts below and get started!
- What adventures happen when you choose a fun & Earth-friendly way to travel to your school?
- How can walking, biking, scootering, or riding the bus to school help keep your school’s neighbourhood safe & clean?
- Imagine you’re a superhero for your neighbourhood — how does walking, biking, scooter, or riding the bus to your school help save the Earth?
Students who attend elementary schools in the Thames Valley District School Board or the London District Catholic School Board can participate in this contest. The submissions must be submitted by the teacher and prizes will be awarded to the classroom!
Five submissions will be selected to win the 2025 Active School Travel Story Contest. Each of the winning classrooms will receive a $100 gift card to Walmart. We encourage teachers to spend the money on items that can be used by the class for Daily Physical Activity or recess activities. **DEADLINE EXTENDED TO DECEMBER 19, 2025**
School Anti-Idling Program
School anti-idling signs encourage drivers to turn off their engines while waiting near school zones to reduce air pollution and improve student health. These signs are installed in visible areas such as pickup/drop-off zones, parking lots, and nearby streets where idling commonly occurs. By raising awareness and promoting behaviour change, anti-idling signs help create cleaner, healthier environments around schools.
To support anti-idling around schools, ELMO-ASRTS is offering an opportunity for schools to apply for signs that would be installed around their school. The signs will be provided at no cost to the school.
An Anti-Idling Toolkit has been created that provides schools with ready-to-use resources to help reduce vehicle idling around school zones and promote healthier, cleaner environments for students. Anti-Idling signs remind drivers to turn off their engines during pick-up and drop-off times, while accompanying educational materials support students, staff, and families in understanding the impact of idling on air quality and health. The Toolkit includes a complete set of downloadable tools: lesson plans, presentations, printable encouragement cards, tools, posters, and infographics to support schools in raising awareness and encourage positive behaviour change within their communities.
Partners
