Groups launch platform at www.itsmorethanagame.ca

With under three weeks to go in the federal election, sport and physical activity groups across the country are urging party leaders to build on the successes of Vancouver 2010 and make real commitments to the health, fitness, and social integration of Canadians across the country. With the release of It’s More than a Game: Taking Action for Sport and Physical Activity in Canada, the groups involved have put a focus on preventative strategies to deal with the current health care crisis and to increase social inclusion in our society.

“For years, the debate about health care in Canada has centered on the delivery of acute care, surgical interventions, and pharmaceutical therapies,” said Chris Jones, Senior Leader of the Sport Matters Group, an umbrella organization of over 60 sport and physical activity organizations in Canada. “A renewed emphasis on the role that sport and physical activity can play in ensuring a healthy future for Canadians is critical. The alternative is a status quo which is ultimately financially unsustainable and unlikely to address proactively what ails our society.”

It’s More than a Game outlines four key areas where Canada’s next government could make significant strides in fostering a culture of action. The groups call on all parties to:

Invest in sport and physical activity –Parties must commit to initiating a Canadian Sport and Physical Activity Strategy, increasing investment in prevention programs, committing to a Minister for Sport and Physical Activity, and introducing innovative tax measures that can help increase sport participation.
Strengthen communities with a more inclusive sport and recreation system – This includes adopting policies and programs to make community sport more accessible, investing in better community opportunities for free or low-cost recreation, include sport and recreation programs to support children and youth at risk, and better support the volunteers who give countless hours to their community sport programs.
Build on the momentum in high performance sport – Ensure our investment in high performance athletes is consistent with Canada’s peer countries, strengthen our coaching programs so they provide the tools for our athletes to succeed, and improve support and equity for athletes with disabilities.
Invest in community sport and recreation infrastructure – Renew the highly successful RINC program, develop an infrastructure strategy with provincial/territorial and municipal governments to guide future investments, and renew and implement a national sport hosting strategy to leverage world-class events for the benefit of all Canadians.

The full recommendations are available online at www.itsmorethanagame.ca. Taken together, they provide the foundation for making dramatic improvements to our quality of life and the health of Canadians while easing health care costs and helping the economy. As one example, a recent study commissioned by SPORTSQUÉBEC showed that for every $1 invested in sport and recreation associations by the Québec’s Ministère de l'Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport (MELS) the province reaped a benefit of $9.80 in economic activity.

“Over half of Canadians between 5 and 17 are not sufficiently active to meet international guidelines for healthy growth and development. At the same time, illnesses and injuries related to physical inactivity cost our health care system over $5.3 billion in direct and indirect costs,” said Andrea Grantham, Executive Director of Physical and Health Education Canada. “The bottom line is that the longer our governments sit on their hands, the more that our kids sit on theirs.”

A successful sport and physical activity strategy addresses Canadians of every age and ability, including high-performance athletes.

“Canada’s 2010 Olympians and Paralympians showed the world that when the investment is made, we can be contenders on a global stage,” said Jean R. Dupré, CEO and Secretary General of the Canadian Olympic Committee. “But every Canadian that stepped foot on a podium started out on a playground. We need a system that continues to gives our athletes and coaches the tools to compete and succeed.”

For more information, and links to resources, visit www.itsmorethanagame.ca

Contacts:

Chris Jones
Senior Leader | Sport Matters Group
613-231-7472 x222 | 613-612-2654 (cell) | chris.jones@sportmatters.ca

Andrea Grantham
Executive Director | Physical and Health Education Canada
613-523-1348 x224 | Andrea@phecanada.ca