Our Vision
The Canadian Health and Fitness Institute inspires Active Citizenship to enhance the physical, mental, and spiritual health of all Canadians, to get 1,000,000 Canadians mobilised to move more by 2028
The Problem
Many Canadians aren’t active enough, and that inactivity is increasingly costly. Too many are suffering from physical, spiritual, and mental health conditions that could be improved or prevented through regular physical movement.
Canadians understand the importance of physical activity, but communities often lack simple, coordinated pathways that help people move from intention to action. People feel discouraged, disconnected, and unsure where to begin.
How we Help
Our mission is to turn intention into action by connecting Canadians with opportunities to move, connect with others, build healthier habits, and participate in community activities. We strive to remove barriers to physical activity so that people can move more, live better, and thrive together.
What Canada can Look Like
We envision Canada as one of the fittest nations on earth with increased participation in community activities, greater youth engagement in physical movement, healthier daily routines, and stronger social connections. When regular movement is part of everyday life, physical, mental, spiritual, and social well-being begin to improve.
Definitions
Health
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
*Adapted from the Constitution of the World Health Organization, as adopted by the 1946 International Health Conference in New York, and which stands to this day.
Fitness
An individual’s ability to carry out daily tasks with vigor and alertness, without undue fatigue, and with ample energy to enjoy leisure-time pursuits*
*Adapted from Park, 1989, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - their definition of “Physical Fitness”.
Acknowledgment and Celebration
The Canadian Health and Fitness Institute acknowledges that our work spans numerous Indigenous traditional and ancestral territories. We place great importance on truth and reconciliation with Indigenous communities. We also recognise the value and strength of diverse ethnicity, orientation, faith, and ability. Holistic health and fitness are important for all people.
We are grateful for the many blessings we all enjoy: for this beautiful nation in which we live, the freedoms we cherish, and our stunning mountains, oceans, forests, and fields.
We also give thanks for the insight, wisdom, and care of those who have contributed to all that we enjoy today as Canadians, including those present today, those who have gone before us, and the youth who inspire our future work. We pledge to pass on an even healthier nation to future generations.
