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IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA ADVISORY
ALL WINNIPEG MEDIA
JUNE 12, 2002
Winnipeg Earns 2nd Place in Canadian Commuter
Challenge
A record breaking 96 workplaces and schools
signed up to take the 3rd annual Winnipeg Commuter Challenge June 3-7,
up from 72 last year. Participation more
than doubled this year with over 5000 people taking up the Challenge
to walk, cycle, roll, carpool and take the bus for the week long alternative
transportation event organized by Resource Conservation Manitoba (RCM).
Through their efforts Winnipeggers, along with their workplaces and
schools, avoided over 95 tonnes of emissions by choosing greener alternatives
to the single-occupancy vehicle, almost 3 times more than last year's
avoided 34 tonnes. Challenge participants
logged over 400,000 green kilometres during the event. The results point
to a tremendous potential for reductions from choosing green methods
of commuting on a more permanent basis.
"We are so pleased with the results this year. Winnipeg pulled
ahead of large cities taking 2nd place in Canada beating out Vancouver
and Calgary. We want to congratulate all Winnipeg workplaces and schools
who participated. They should be very pleased with what they have accomplished,"
said Program Coordinator Andrea Lamboo Miln.
Winnipeg pulled ahead of Vancouver, Waterloo,
and Victoria who were ahead of Winnipeg in last year's standings.
"Beating out cities larger than us is no small feat. Winnipeggers
participated in record numbers this year. Our 2nd place finish demonstrates
Winnipeg's commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in our city
and to promoting active lifestyles," Lamboo Miln said.
Several workplaces distinguished themselves. Manitoba Hydro took gold
in the largest category - workplaces with more than 2,000 employees
- with 4.7% participation, sneaking past the City of Winnipeg who took
silver this year. "Manitoba Hydro is very excited to hear that
our employees placed first in our category. While we as a corporation
are committed to reducing our own emissions and helping Canada develop
greenhouse gas management systems, I think this result clearly demonstrates
our employees are just as committed to reducing emissions and having
a healthy lifestyle," said Bob Brennan, President and CEO of Manitoba
Hydro.
Other winners in their categories include, Investors Group, Canada Customs
and Revenue Agency, St. John's Ravenscourt (Staff Unit), Parks Canada,
and Mountain Equipment Co-op.
New to the Challenge this year was the added participation of Winnipeg
schools. Nine schools participated this year, bringing the importance
of green commuting choices to the next generation of commuters. "Our
school had a lot of fun with the Challenge. Staff and students went
clean and green for Clean Air Day resulting in 94.8% participation for
our school. We noted far fewer cars around the school and far more walkers,"
said Dave Benson, Vice Principal of Bairdmore School. Benson appreciated
the opportunity to involve children in this event as "they will
be the future commuters." Bairdmore took first place for elementary
schools (a full list of local winners is attached to this release).
RCM is excited about the broad cross-section of workplaces and schools
represented in this year's Challenge. RCM plans to follow up with several
workplaces and schools to discuss options for encouraging green commuting
year round.
For more information:
Andrea Lamboo Miln or Serge LaRochelle
Resource Conservation Manitoba
925-3773 (work) or 799-3141 (cellular)
School and Workplace Coordinators quoted in release:
Dave Benson, Bairdmore School, 261-3350
Cheryl Corman, Manitoba Hydro, 474-3304
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