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Making Canada the Healthiest Nation on Earth: David Patchell-Evans
© Courtesy of Goodlife Fitness
Making Canada the Healthiest Nation on Earth: David Patchell-Evans
For David (Patch) Patchell-Evans, fitness isn’t just about business— it’s a way to foster better lives, stronger communities, and a healthier nation.
“Everyone deserves the opportunity to change their life and champion their own physical and mental well-being,” he says. “I want to empower people with those opportunities and give everyone in Canada the chance to make our home the healthiest nation in the world.”
It’s a bold mission, but his approach is simple: make fitness available for all—regardless of circumstance.
Throughout his career, Patch has been resolute in his vision to create a better, healthier world. With his people-first approach, Patch has built the GoodLife Group to be one of the largest and most prolific brands in the global fitness industry.
FITNESS FOR EVERYONE
As a pioneer of the industry, Patch opened the first GoodLife Fitness gym in London, Ontario, in 1979. He poured all of his energy and savings into the club, with an everlasting belief that it had the potential to transform the lives of its members—and he was right.
Today, Patch is changing the lives of millions of people around the world. His single club has evolved into a global network of over 600 gyms, including the Canadian-focused GoodLife Group of GoodLife Fitness, Fit4Less, Éconofitness and canfitpro; Oxygen Yoga and Fitness; GYMVMT; REGYMEN and Craft Boxing; along with Revo Fitness in Australia and CityFitness in New Zealand.
"I see every day how capable people in Canada truly are, even when they don't always give themselves the credit they deserve," he says. "Many face hectic schedules or challenges that could keep them from focusing on self-care. My goal is to meet people where they are, help them recognize their own strength, and show them they can push past any barrier. I want to ensure that everyone has the resources they need to unlock the mental and physical benefits of fitness, improving every part of their life in the process."
Affordable options like Fit4Less and Éconofitness offer Canadians budget-friendly paths for investing in wellness. At GoodLife Fitness, Patch has prioritized making fitness a personal experience for each member with professional guidance and diverse options both in-person and online. But it doesn’t stop there; Patch is always working to reach people outside of the gym, bridging gaps in accessibility and creating fitness opportunities for all people in Canada.
HEALTH AT WORK
For most people, fitness is just one part of building their healthiest lifestyle. Patch has always understood that in order to support most people in Canada, he would have to create opportunities within their everyday lives. In 1995, Patch and his team introduced the GoodLife Corporate Membership & Workplace Wellness program, partnering with organizations across Canada to support their employees' physical and mental well-being.
From guided movement sessions to educational wellness seminars on sleep, nutrition, and stress management, the programs offer professionals the resources they need to better understand and invest in their overall well-being. The impact is substantial—GoodLife Workplace Wellness now partners with more than 4,000 organizations and reaches 9.4 million Canadians and their families.
EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION
As the business grew and Patch’s vision reached more and more people, he found a notable gap in the support for younger people, and people with differing abilities and needs. In response, Patch and his team began creating fitness opportunities for young people across Canada, specifically those who face the most barriers to staying active.
The GoodLife Kids Foundation was founded in 1998 to help more young people engage in physical activity. Since then, the Foundation has evolved to focus on youth with autism and intellectual disabilities, supporting their health journeys by removing barriers and creating more accessible fitness opportunities.
In 2020, the Foundation launched MOVE by GoodLife Kids, a free program that provides virtual and in-person fitness classes for youth with autism and intellectual disabilities aged 12 to 21, encouraging movement in a fun and inclusive way. With nearly 500 participants and over 90 weekly classes, MOVE is helping young people across Canada build confidence and strength.
In 2010, Patch and his team launched GoodLife Teen Fitness, Canada’s first free fitness program designed specifically for teens. Every summer, teens aged 12 to 17 access GoodLife gyms for free, exploring fitness in a safe and supportive environment. With expert guidance available in person and online resources offering workout tips, the program empowers young Canadians to develop healthy habits early in life. The 2024 edition was the program’s most successful yet, with nearly 80,000 participants completing 400,000 workouts.
BEYOND GYM WALLS
As part of Patch’s mission to support better, healthier lives for people in Canada, he has always focused on the inherent—and often overlooked—link with the overall healthcare system and the need for stronger partnerships between fitness, healthcare organizations, and the medical community.
In 2012, he partnered with global leader in cardiac health, the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre at the University Health Network in Toronto, to create the GoodLife Fitness Centre of Excellence in Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Medicine. The revolutionary partnership joined private and public leaders in health and wellness to help improve cardiac care, recovery, and prevention in Canada and around the globe.
GoodLife also understands the need to give back and support the communities they operate within. This has led to a number of impactful partnerships with multiple charitable organizations that support youth across Canada. Partnerships include the international organizations Right to Play and Unsinkable Youth, which connect young people with one another to create communities of support through in-person and virtual activities.
Over the last 45 years, Patch has been driven by a passion to help people realize the incredible impact of movement and connection through fitness. And, while success can traditionally be measured by the financial performance of a business, Patch’s measuring stick focuses on making Canada a healthier nation, one person and one step at a time.
Patch is often overheard saying, “Never let the things you can’t do stop you from doing the things you can.” If everyone in Canada followed Patch’s advice, the mission to be the healthiest nation in the world would be within our reach.
Get the incredible benefits of fitness today.
Visit goodlifefitness.com to learn more and find the right path for you.
