By Erin Phelan
Fitness Industry Council of Canada
As Canadians gather around barbecues and bonfires this Canada Day, we find ourselves at a unique crossroads—one where national pride meets a growing desire for connection and well-being. On this day, we celebrate what it means to be Canadian: our shared values, iconic landscapes, passion for hockey, and polite resilience.
But in a time marked by deepening political, social, and economic divides, could fitness and health serve as a powerful force for unity?
At the Fitness Industry Council of Canada (FIC), we believe the answer is yes—and the time to act is now.
Fitness Facilities: Unsung Hubs of Community Health
From independently owned studios and national chains to YMCA branches and municipal recreation centres, fitness facilities are more than just places to sweat. They are community anchors—one of the few remaining “third spaces” where people of all backgrounds and ages come together for a shared purpose: better health.
According to the 2024 ParticipACTION Report, 61% of Canadians feel more connected to their communities when participating in physical activity, especially in group settings. Programs like spin classes, walking clubs, and adaptive fitness for older adults help combat isolation—now officially recognized as a public health crisis in Canada. Fitness, then, is not a luxury. It’s essential.
From Prevention to Empowerment: The Health Impact of Fitness
A 2023 study in the Canadian Journal of Public Health found that regular physical activity reduces the risk of over 25 chronic conditions—including Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. Exercise also plays a vital role in managing mental health, reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression while improving confidence and emotional resilience.
The benefits of fitness are universal—but access is not.
That’s where Canada’s fitness industry comes in.
Serving over 6 million members across 6,000+ facilities, the industry stretches from small-town rec centres in Saskatchewan to high-end wellness clubs in Vancouver and aquatic therapy clinics in Halifax. These facilities already have the infrastructure to deliver equitable, preventative, and community-based health solutions.
What’s missing is a national strategy to ensure that every Canadian—regardless of income, geography, or background—can benefit.
“Let’s Start Again With Our Own Health”
Last year, Senator Marty Deacon, one of the country’s strongest advocates for physical activity, offered this call to action:
“As we approach Canada Day… let’s start again with our own health and well-being. Each of us needs to be physically and mentally well, but we should also ensure that our communities have the infrastructure they need for all members of the community to be physically active in a safe and inclusive way.”
A Call to Unity Through Movement
This Canada Day, imagine celebrating not just with fireworks—but with movement.
- What if every province implemented a physical activity tax credit, like Newfoundland and Labrador?
- What if every workplace prioritized employee wellness, as seen in Ontario’s Healthy Workplace Month?
- What if fitness prescriptions and tax incentives were embedded in national healthcare strategy?
The infrastructure already exists.
The research is clear.
The momentum is growing.
Now, we need a united voice.
The Role of the Fitness Industry Council of Canada
That’s why the Fitness Industry Council of Canada (FIC) exists. As the nonprofit voice of Canada’s fitness industry, FIC advocates for:
- Recognition of fitness as essential health infrastructure
- National physical activity strategies
- Industry-supportive legislation
In 2024 alone, FIC led campaigns to eliminate the fitness tax, championed economic recovery tools for struggling gyms, and lobbied for physical activity to be formally recognized in national health discussions.
Together, We Are Stronger
If you’re a gym owner, fitness professional, supplier, or allied health partner, this is your moment. Join the FIC and help shape the future of fitness in Canada.
Together, we can:
- Advocate for national policies that support the industry
- Improve population health and reduce long-term healthcare costs
- Make fitness accessible to all Canadians
- Protect and strengthen fitness businesses post-pandemic
Zach Weston, Executive Director of FIC, believes the industry is ready to lead.
“We possess an incredible, nationwide infrastructure of facilities, professionals, and passion, ready to be unleashed as a primary partner in our healthcare system. The recently published Portas Report quantified what we’ve always known: that with even modest policy support, the Canadian fitness industry can deliver over a billion dollars in healthcare savings.
This is our moment to think bigger. Let’s unite our collective strength, move beyond our four walls, and work together with a shared, audacious goal: to make Canada the fittest nation on Earth.”
Join the movement.
Visit www.ficdn.ca to learn more and lend your voice to a healthier, stronger Canada.
Fitness Industry Council of Canada (FIC) is the not-for profit trade association that represents the voice of fitness facility operators across Canada. Representing more than 6,000 facilities with more than six-million members nationwide, FIC pursues a legislative agenda in the hope of bettering the fitness industry for both consumers and operators. FIC aims to work with both industry and government to improve the health and physical activity levels of Canadians.
