The Walk Metro Vancouver Society was first registered in 2010. The Board includes directors from several “walks” at universities, health agencies, regional and municipal governments and consultancies. We are registered and function as a non-profit society in British Columbia and focus on championing accessible walkability in Metro Vancouver.
We originally formed to host the International Walk 21 Conference at Simon Fraser University in 2011. From that time we have continued to educate, promote and maintain active links with ongoing work in the region.
You can browse through our originally written articles, and read about seminars and walking initiatives around the globe at our website http://walkmetrovan.ca .
Every year we focus on one theme to highlight in promoting walkability.
The Covid pandemic and the need for physical exercise during that time showed the need for safe comfortable sidewalks and pathways for walking, rolling and cycling. Everyone needed to get outside for mental and physical wellness, and cities responded in a variety of ways, including the introduction of “slow streets” that allow walkers and rollers to be the ‘sole’ users or to have priority over cars. Those pandemic actions have been adopted as best practices in many municipalities that implemented them.
After the pandemic the Walk Metro Vancouver Board has made mental wellness the foremost topic in our continuing education and outreach work. There is a very important synergy with connecting mental wellness, the outdoors and enhanced walkability in the region and encouraging best practices for safe and comfortable walking environments. It simply makes sense for healthy and happy communities.
Global research and data show how important walking is for connection, sociability and mental/physical wellness. The board has continued to explore the walking and mental health connection, and how that reinforces resilient and sustainable communities. We need places that pass “the popsicle test”-where a child can safely leave home on foot and be able to return from a local store or park with the popsicle not completely eaten or melted. Easy access to transit, schools, shops and services should be in the reach of every citizen no matter what their age or ability.
Some people call this the “ten minute” or “fifteen minute” city. We see this as a way forward for active, happy people and places.
We all thrive in more connected sociable places that are built upon the tenet of universal walkability, accessible to everyone.
This is sustainable micromobility.
Remember when Photographers took photos on the street? That is Coral Denis, the first female Jurisprudence in British Columbia on the left.
Where We Have Been
In the past we have focussed on pedestrian advocacy for seniors. Before the pandemic we supported the very successful Walk and Be Seen Project for Seniors.
Lynn Shepherd ,Sabina Harpe and Dalia Faircloth presented their findings from the Walk and Be Seen Project at the 2017 Walk21 Conference in Calgary. They continue to mentor in making walking safer, more comfortable and convenient for seniors.
For the last six years to 2026 we have focussed on the vital connection between walkability and mental health. Throughout the pandemic, we focussed on mental health and the importance of walkable places, and we have continued that theme as the most important aspect of our work-the vital link between making walking comfortable, accessible, promoting accessibility and mental health.
Keep checking our website for our own original content and editorials on walkable places and spaces, as well as notices of special events of interest.
You can reach us the following ways:
Our society email is
walkmetrovan at gmail.com
You can also call the managing director Sandy James
