Helping People in Ontario Get Active
Province Investing in 127 Provincial and Local Sport and Recreation Programs

news.ontario.ca
May 15, 2017

Ontario is supporting 127 sport and recreation projects across the province to help children and adults stay healthy and active.

Eleanor McMahon, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport was at the Edna Staebler YMCA Child Care facility in Waterloo today to announce support for the Physical Literacy and Recreation Project. This project will engage over 2,000 children and youth in Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge in fun activities to get them moving and learn about the importance of staying active.

This is one of 127 projects across Ontario that is receiving support through the Ontario Sport and Recreation Communities Fund, which helps people of all ages to:

• Get involved in sport and recreation programs, with activities ranging from gymnastics for children of varying abilities, to exercise programs for older adults with mobility challenges to local fitness classes for people of all ages and abilities
• Learn about the importance of physical activity as a foundation for healthy living
• Become recreation leaders in their communities through training in areas such as coaching, youth development and volunteer development.

For children, regular physical activity leads to healthier body weight, stronger bone density and improved mental health. Later in life, physical activity helps maintain health and wellness and can prevent chronic diseases like cancer and Type 2 diabetes.

Helping people of all ages stay healthy and active is part of our plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives.

Quick Facts

• In 2016-17, Ontario Sport and Recreation Communities Fund projects helped more than 220,000 people.
• The government has provided more than $35 million in funding through the Ontario Sport and Recreation Communities Fund since this program was launched.
• The Ontario Sport and Recreation Communities Fund is a key priority of Game ON – the Ontario government’s Sport Plan, which is providing opportunities for people in Ontario to get involved in organized sport while strengthening the sport recreation sector in communities across the province.

Additional Resources

• List of Ontario Sport and Recreation Communities Fund projects
• GameON - The Ontario Government’s Sport Plan

Quotes
“Staying physically active is a key part of being healthy for us as individuals, and for our communities. I am pleased Ontario is supporting these innovative projects that will provide people with fun and healthy social interactions, improve their quality of life and keep them connected to their communities.”
Eleanor McMahon, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport

“This project is very good news for our local YMCAs in the Kitchener-Waterloo area. Thanks to this funding, our youngest residents will learn about the benefits of physical activity and be set up for a lifetime of better physical health.”
Daiene Vernile, MPP Kitchener Centre

“The YMCA has always focused on the health and wellbeing of children, a focus which has intensified with growing research on childhood obesity, prevalence of chronic disease, and the reality that most children don't get enough physical activity. We are honoured to receive funding through the Ontario Sport and Recreation Communities Fund to reach over 2,000 children in this community, empowering them through fundamental movement skills, play and recreation to live long, healthy, active lives.”
Kim McLean, General Manager, YMCAs of Cambridge & Kitchener-Waterloo