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Move over October: Cross Canada Trek

Move over October: Cross Canada Trek returns!  This month-long movement challenge is designed to help Ontario Tech employees build healthy habits, connect with colleagues, and celebrate progress together.  Together, our goal will be to travel across Canada during the month of October! 

How to sign up?

  • Use the Move over October Registration Form to individually register for the challenge.
  • Early Bird Incentive: Register by Wednesday, September 30 and be entered into our draw to win a Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA) Annual Parking Pass!
  • Registration remains open until October 2, 2026.

How does the challenge work?

1. Be Active

Participate in any form of physical activity throughout the month of October.

  • Using the Move Over October Cross Canada Trek Tracker 2026 (coming soon) track your physical activity and time in minutes every day from October 1-31, 2026. The Tracker will convert your physical activity into the number of steps to count toward our Cross Canada Trek.

2. Sumbit your weekly totals

Every challenge participant will submit their own weekly totals using the Move Over October Cross Canada Trek Weekly Submission Form.

  • Submission dates are as follows:
    • Week 1 (Oct. 1-4), Submit on or before Oct. 7
    • Week 2 (Oct. 5-11), Submit on or before Oct. 14
    • Week 3 (Oct. 12-18), Submit on or before Oct. 21
    • Week 4 (Oct. 19-25), Submit on or before Oct. 28
    • Week 5 (Oct. 26-31), Submit on or before Nov. 4

      Note: Late submissions will not be accepted, so please accept our calendar invite reminder to submit on-time. 

3. Weekly Trek Updates

Each week, participants will receive a Cross Canada Trek update featuring collective progress, Canadian destination highlights, prize winner notifications, and upcoming submission reminders.

 

Are there prizes?

Yes! From your feedback, the prizes have been expanded to include the following:

  1. Weekly Submission: Participants who submit their weekly totals by the submission dates will be entered into a draw for a weekly prize.
  2. Consistency Prize: Participants who submit their weekly totals for all five weeks by the submission dates will be entered into a draw for a prize at the end of the challenge.
  3. Improvement Prize: The participant who shows the most improvement, as seen from the number of steps from one week to the next, will be entered into a draw for a prize at the end of the challenge.
  4. Share your Move Spotlight: Anyone who emails wellnessatwork@ontariotechu.ca to share how they like to move between October 1-31 will be entered into a draw at the end of the challenge for a prize.  This could be being active with a colleague or trying a new form of movement. Note: Submissions may be shared with challenge participants in the weekly update emails.
  5. Most Steps: The participant with the most steps at the end of the challenge will receive a prize. Note: If you’d like to compete for this prize, your weekly total will be shared in the weekly participant email.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is this an individual or team challenge?
A: Individual.  Participants are encouraged to be active with colleagues and support one another; however, tracking and weekly submissions are done by each individual participant.

Q: Is there a maximum time participants can be physically active?
A: No.  There are no maximum time restrictions.

Q: What forms of physical activity can I participate in?
A: Please track intentional physical activity completed during the challenge period. This can include walking, running, cycling, fitness classes, yoga, sports, hiking, stretching, gardening, or any other movement that gets you active.

Q: I completed two forms of physical activity in one day, how do I track these?
A: From the excel Tracker, select either physical activity from the drop-down menu, and then enter the combined total time of both activities.

Q: I have a Smart Watch that counts my steps when I walk; can I input that total in my weekly total?
A: Since not everyone has a step counter/counters vary, please use the excel Tracker and its formula for counting steps, so there is consistency from participant to participant.

Q: Should I be logging every step I take or only intentional activity?
A: Please track intentional physical activity, not all incidental steps from your full day, unless those steps are part of a dedicated activity such as a walk, run, hike, fitness class, or active commute.

Q: I still have questions, who can I contact?
A: Please email wellnessatwork@ontariotechu.ca