Scaling Youth Transit from a Local Model to a National Movement
Get on the Bus – National Youth Transit Movement
Role: Dan Hendry (Co‑Founder & Project Director)
Year: 2023–present
By 2014, municipalities across Ontario were beginning to formalize climate strategies. The opportunity was clear, but so was the complexity. Climate plans often risked becoming technical documents that lived on shelves rather than tools that shaped behaviour, budgets, and long-term decisions. Kingston set out to develop its first Climate Action Plan. The question was not only what targets to set, but how to ensure those targets resonated with residents, departments, and community partners.
My responsibilities include fundraising and grant management, delivering presentations to municipal councils and community groups, hosting webinars, supporting youth engagement, and overseeing IT systems and internal processes. A key contribution of this work has been the development of one of Canada’s largest youth transit resource libraries, which includes council reports, videos, and research from communities across the country. These resources are designed to reduce barriers to implementation by helping communities learn from existing examples and proven approaches.
As the movement continues to grow, the focus remains on sharing best practices related to youth transit training, meaningful youth engagement, and equitable access to public transportation. The work supports communities at different stages of their journey, while continuing to strengthen a national network focused on long‑term, sustainable transit ridership.
“Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.”