By Erin Phelan
Fitness Industry Council of Canada
In just one week, fitness professionals, educators, operators, and innovators from across the country will gather in Toronto for canfitpro Global 2025. While Fitness Industry Council of Canada (FIC) won’t be presenting this year, we are proud to champion the energy, community, and critical conversations happening at what has become the fitness reunion of the year.
Strength is the strategy.
Community is the catalyst.
Technology is the enabler.
And trained professionals are the future of health in Canada.
This isn’t just a conference and trade show. It is a celebration of where we’ve been—and a launchpad for where we’re headed next.
The fitness industry continues to expand – not only in marketshare, but in the opportunity in front of us to transform healthcare and become essential partners in preventing and treating chronic illnesses, and improving mental and social health in Canada.
While canfitpro might be the fitness event of the year, the real event is happening every day in facilities all across Canada.
Research-Backed Momentum Behind a Growing Movement
According to a recent industry report, the global health and fitness club market is projected to grow from $101.45 billion in 2024 to $157.6 billion by 2029, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.21%. This consistent upward trend reflects a global shift in consumer priorities—where wellness is no longer a luxury, but a lifestyle. For Canadian operators, this growth is both a validation and a call to action: invest in innovation, education, and connection to stay relevant in a fast-evolving landscape.
According to McKinsey & Company’s Future of Wellness 2025 report, 84 percent of consumers in key markets—including the US, UK, China, and Germany—now consider wellness a top or important daily priority. More than 30 percent of Gen Z and millennial respondents say wellness has become much more important compared to a year ago, driven by stress, burnout, and heightened awareness through social media.
This shift in consumer behavior is mirrored in the rising popularity of strength training. A 2024 meta-analysis in the British Medical Journal found that engaging in muscle-strengthening activities—even as little as 5–30 minutes per week—was associated with a 10–17 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality. In older adult cohorts, even modest weight training—combined with aerobic activity—was linked with a 6 percent lower all-cause mortality risk, and 8 percent lower CVD mortality risk, compared to no strength training.
Taken together, this evidence confirms that consumers are shifting from wellness as aspiration to wellness as essential—and strength training is proving to be one of the most powerful tools to support longevity, resilience, and public health.
Hybrid models that combine in-person coaching with digital engagement are helping extend reach, improve retention, and meet the evolving needs of members across all demographics.
“The 2025 canfitpro education sessions tell us everything,” says Zach Weston, FIC Executive Director. “From inclusive coaching to community-based group fitness and mental health programming, the industry is moving in the direction we’ve long advocated for. And that’s worth celebrating.”
Technology: Strengthening Connection and Retention
The evolution of technology in fitness is less about replacement and more about enhancement. It’s how facilities are personalizing member experiences, extending the reach of coaching, and building meaningful data-driven relationships.
According to the 2025 State of the Personal Trainer report by ABC Trainerize, over 78% of fitness professionals now incorporate digital tools as part of their programming. These tools—ranging from client-facing apps and wearable integrations to platforms for real-time progress tracking—are essential for supporting hybrid coaching models and strengthening engagement across both in-person and online sessions.
The report also underscores a broader shift toward 360° coaching: trainers are increasingly expected to deliver a comprehensive service that spans workout design, behavioral change strategies, and wellness monitoring. This blended, technology-supported model allows professionals to personalize programs at scale, retain members more effectively, and deliver greater impact than ever before.
canfitpro 2025 will highlight many of these innovations on the expo floor—from connected cardio equipment and biometric coaching systems to studio software that supports virtual and in-person delivery. This year’s event is also placing a strong focus on technology as a tool for both business growth and client success.
Why Skilled Fitness Professionals Are More Important Than Ever
Technology may provide the tools, but it’s the trained fitness professional who delivers the outcomes. According to industry projections, the personal training market is set to surpass $60 billion globally by 2029.
Today’s professionals are guiding members through complex needs: strength development, recovery protocols, lifestyle change, mobility training, and mental health support. And they are delivering it through in-person coaching, small-group formats, and scalable digital models.
FIC continues to advocate for:
- Inclusion of gym memberships under Line 33099 of the federal tax code;
- Greater recognition of certified fitness professionals within Canada’s healthcare framework;
- And strategic investment in professional development and community-based health promotion.
FIC’s Role: Supporting the Message, Even from the Sidelines
FIC will not have a physical presence at canfitpro this year, but we will be there – supporting our sponsors, and soaking in the positive energy canfitpro always delivers! Our work continues—on the ground, in the data, and in the advocacy that drives our sector forward.
We are proud to stand behind the leaders, educators, suppliers, and innovators who will gather next week. We are especially proud to spotlight our FIC sponsor partners who will be on-site—brands who continue to raise the bar for Canadian fitness such as:
- Matrix
- Precor
- Reppa
- Oxygen Yoga and Fitness
- Roxton Industries
- InBodyCanada
- Powerplate
- Visbody
- Gym TV/Zoom Media
Visit them on the show floor. Say hello.
Learn how they’re helping build the future of fitness in Canada.
Final Word: Let’s Celebrate the Industry We are Building!
Over the past five years, Canadian fitness professionals have adapted, evolved, and led with heart. We’ve learned how to build stronger systems, smarter technology, and deeper connections—and most importantly, we’ve never stopped showing up.
Next week, at canfitpro Global 2025, we come together to celebrate all of it.
To the trainers, coaches, educators, suppliers, operators, and advocates: this reunion is for you.
And the future we’re building?
It starts right here.
Register for canfitpro 2025: canfitpro.com
Join the national movement with FIC: ficdn.ca
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.
Image: canfitpro
