Why Canada Needs the Fitness Industry Council

WORKING WITH INDUSTRY AND GOVERNMENT TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LEVELS OF CANADIANS

By Sara Hodson

When the pandemic began, it hit the fitness industry hard and was unrelenting. Although all businesses in Canada were affected, the fitness industry was impacted in significant ways. According to the Global Health and Fitness Association, one in four gyms have closed since March 2020; when the dust has settled, we will be able to determine exactly how many fitness businesses closed in Canada, but our industry has been decimated. Fitness businesses were the first to be shut down, the last to be reopened, and were subject to repeated inspections by provincial health authorities. As COVID-19 is a highly transmissible virus, fear of exercising in a public space split us open. We have lost members in the last two years; many fitness businesses are nowhere near their pre-pandemic membership levels.

And yet, we are resilient. We know that exercise is essential for the physical and mental health of Canadians. In the face of lockdowns, the Fitness Industry Council has stood up and demanded to be seen as essential. And, the silver lining of the pandemic has been that the Fitness Industry Council came together like never before. This sense of solidarity has empowered us to use our voice to make our provincial and federal leaders listen.

Who is the Fitness Industry Council (FIC)?

The Fitness Industry Council (FIC) is the not-for-profit trade association that represents the voice of thousands of fitness facility operators across Canada. The FIC pursues a legislative agenda in the hopes of bettering the fitness industry for both consumers and operators and aims to work with both industry and government to improve the health and physical activity levels of Canadians.

FIC Achievements

The Fitness Industry Council membership has doubled since the pandemic began, and the concept “strength in numbers” has been proven time and again. The willingness of our members to come together, put competition aside, be vulnerable and share best practices to ensure a thriving fitness industry has been incredible. Nationally, as an industry, we knew we had each other’s back - we have gotten through tremendous challenges together with great passion for what we do - which is to help Canadians with their physical and mental health.

It was due to the FIC’s active campaigning that Bill C-2 was modified in November 2021; The Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program (THRP) provides financial support through wage and rent subsidies and when the federal government announced the program they excluded fitness - the FIC immediately lobbied and were successful in extending the subsidy to fitness businesses. This provided a lifeline to many of us.

The Voice of the Industry

One of the greatest accomplishments from the last two years is that the FIC has a seat at the table of provincial and federal governments. We are engaged with Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, the Prime Minister’s Office, and the federal government to lobby for a tax deduction for gym memberships, and though this has not come into effect yet we continue to provide evidence on the cost-benefit of exercise and to push for tax incentives, federally and provincially.

The FIC has also challenged provincial leaders: We are fighting on behalf of Saskatchewan fitness businesses against a proposed six per cent tax on gyms that is slated for October 2022. Our Quebec provincial FIC leadership kept physical and mental health high in the news during lockdowns. One of the best examples of the work of the FIC comes from my home province, British Columbia, under the leadership of Carl Ulmer (Director of Operations, Club 16 Trevor Linden Fitness). In December 2021, gyms were ordered to shut down across the province, and the FIC went into overdrive, meeting with Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. We repeatedly argued that fitness was essential for physical and mental health. When she announced the reopening of fitness, Dr. Henry honored the work of the FIC in the clear, calm, evidence-based discussion we had that led to her decision.

Why the FIC is More Relevant Today

Consider your house insurance: you pay fees “in case something happens”, and we never know what that something might be. The FIC is the insurance for your fitness business. As governments become creative in their attempts to balance budgets, and as we continue to navigate this new world through COVID-19, it is imperative our industry is proactive in our approach, and is not negatively impacted by government decisions. We must continue to stand together and hold our governments accountable to reducing barriers to access fitness, exercise, and wellness.

The pandemic brought unpredictability to our shores: The FIC is the anchor for the Fitness Industry, and we are here for businesses to lean on in times of adversity. We are also here to help you navigate your way forward, through the choppy and calm waters, through workshops, events, and our ongoing lobbying efforts.

A Note From the President

In August 2021, I was unanimously elected as President of the Fitness Industry Council, which is both a privilege and an honor. My life mission - that exercise is medicine for the physical and mental health of Canadians - is more important than ever, and I am proud to lead a vibrant organization such as the FIC. Gone are the days where aesthetics and performance ruled fitness: we now need every Canadian back in our gyms for their lasting health.

We are a vital part of Canada. And our voice is more important than ever. Register your business with the FIC today by visiting ficdn.ca/memberships and receive a free canfitpro Business Membership.

Sara Hodson, CEO of LIVE WELL Exercise Clinic is the President of the Fitness Industry Council of Canada.

Learn more from Sara Hodson and FIC at GLOBAL