Key statistics
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We’ve created a helpful list of key statistics on the current state and importance of physical activity in Canada.
Physical activity in Canada
The impacts of physical activity
Impacts include:
Cost of inactivity – $3.9 billion annually
- The direct and indirect health-care costs associated with physical inactivity in Canada have been estimated at $3.9 billion, annually.
Potential savings – $629 million annually
- Getting just 10% of people living in Canada to move more could result in annual savings of $629 million in health-care costs from chronic conditions, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Mental health and social connectivity
- 61% of people living in Canada agree that sport, physical activity and recreation contribute to a reduction in feeling lonely.
- 76% of people living in Canada feel welcomed and included through physical activity, sport, and recreation activities.
Resilience and life skill development
- 69% of people living in Canada agreed that physical activity, sport, and recreation contribute to reductions in harmful behaviours such as suicide ideation.
- Regular participation in physical activity has also been attributed to a 6% to 10% increase in earnings.3
Value of sport, physical activity and recreation
- $37.2 billion is the annual economic value of sport, physical activity and recreation in Canada.
Government investments
- $2 billion was invested by Canadian governments in physical activity, sport and recreation infrastructure in 2022.
Jobs
- 260,000 jobs in 2022 were provided by the physical activity, sport and recreation sector.
Accessibility
- 78% of people living in Canada have a public transportation system available in their community.
Active transportation and cost savings
- $564 million could be saved annually in reduced greenhouse gas emissions if just 1% of people living in Canada switched from private car use to active transportation.
- Public transit typically involves some active/physical transportation to and from stops or stations. Public transit use could save households roughly $10,000 per year, and by increasing activity levels, could potentially contribute to reducing public health and health-care costs, more generally.
Physical activity on a global scale
A leading risk factor for mortality
- Insufficient physical activity stands as the 4th leading risk factor for premature death and mortality, underscoring the critical need for lifestyle changes.
- Approximately 3.2 million deaths and 32.1 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs)±, representing about 2.1% of global DALYs, are attributed annually to insufficient physical activity, highlighting its significant impact on global health.
Adult and adolescent inactivity
- 25% of adults and a staggering 81% of adolescents do not engage in enough physical activity. These current global estimates reveal a concerning reality.
Inactivity and economic development
- A 70% increase in levels of physical inactivity can be seen when a country undergoes economic development. This increase is influenced by changing transport patterns, heightened technology use for work and recreation, evolving cultural values, and a rise in sedentary behaviours.
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General references
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- Statistics Canada. Directly measured physical activity and sedentary time in Canada: New results from the Canadian Health Measures Survey, 2022 to 2024. The Daily; 2025 Oct 17. Retrieved from: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/251017/dq251017b-eng.htm
- Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute (CFLRI) and Canadian Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA). 2023. The Price of Inactivity: Measuring the Powerful Impact of Sport, Physical Activity, and Recreation in Canada. CFLRI & CPRA. Ottawa, ON, Canada. Retrieved from https://measuring-impact.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/CFLRI-CPRA_Price-Inactivity-Full-Report-EN-FINAL.pdf
- Tovar-García E.D. Participation in Sports, Physical Exercise, and Wage Income: Evidence from Russian Longitudinal Data. (2021). German Journal of Exercise & Sport Research, 51:333–343.
- World Health Organization. Global action plan on physical activity 2018–2030: More active people for a healthier world. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2018. License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO. Retrieved from https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/272722/9789241514187-eng.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
- ± DALYs for a disease or health condition are the sum of the years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLLs) and the years lived with a disability (YLDs) due to prevalent cases of the disease or health condition in a population.