By Erin Phelan
Fitness Industry Council of Canada
The Canadian fitness industry is built on resilience, strength, and inspiration. It was also one of the hardest-hit industries in the last few years. And while there is hope and optimism for the future of the industry, there are also significant challenges – such as the looming CEBA debt repayment deadline, coming quickly in December 2023, that are pressing realities for business owners.
Yesterday, the Fitness Industry Council of Canada (FIC) was part of a group of 280 industry associations that sent an open letter to Minister Chrystia Freeland asking for more time to repay the CEBA loan.
The government did a good thing during the pandemic: it responded to businesses in crisis and gave them a lifeline with the CEBA loan program. But not all businesses have their heads above water yet: they’re facing extreme inflation, unreliable supply chains, and the tightest hiring market in a generation. They’re just asking for more time to pay the government back.
“We have heard from many of our members that the deadline isn’t realistic,” says Gabriel Hardy, Executive Director of FIC. “Our industry was shut down for months at a time, with little or no revenue. We have an industry full of passionate and committed business owners who show up every day to improve the lives of Canadians. We stand with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, asking the government for more time to repay loans that were only taken on due to COVID.”
FIC is asking all fitness business owners to fill out this survey to assess how businesses are doing midway through 2023. FIC will use the data for their State of the Industry report to IHRSA, which will also be presented at canfitpro this August.
Hardy says the opportunity for all fitness businesses lies in the central mission of the fitness industry. “Our members come to improve their physical, mental and social health, to take part in group fitness classes, to work with qualified professionals. The work done in sport and fitness saves the government billions of dollars in healthcare costs, reduces chronic health conditions and improves lives. Canadians need the motivation, inspiration and dedication they find in the gym. We will continue to lobby governments to recognize the fitness industry as an essential partner in healthcare.”
Please fill out the survey today. Click here to have your voice heard!
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.
