NEWPATH is an innovative, transdisciplinary research program focused on evaluating how different urban built environments impact a variety of quality of life factors, including; physical activity, diet, access to food, air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. The project’s study area is the Region of Waterloo, a regional municipality located in south-central Ontario.
NEWPATH will develop state of the art tools for collecting, measuring, and assessing travel, urban form and physical activity in the Region of Waterloo. The project will help to establish a national model to integrate diertary, transportation, physical activity, built environment, and body weight data in planning and decision-making contexts.
NEWPATH will produce cutting edge findings that will assist local policy and decision makers understand which land use and transportation policies may have the greatest potential for increasing active transportation, reducing obesity and sedentary lifestyles, better access to local and healthier food, and reducing travel emissions, all while maintaining a vibrant economic vitality and strong sense of community in the Region of Waterloo.
