Historic Timeline
1971
Sport Participation Canada (later renamed ParticipACTION), a not-for-profit
private company is formed on July 12. Rt. Hon. Lester B. Pearson
is Chairman and Mr. Philippe de Gaspé Beaubien is President.
1972
"ParticipACTION" is selected as the bilingual brand
name and a logo is designed. •A communication strategy is
developed and initial TV and radio PSAs are launched in both official
languages. • ParticipACTION Saskatoon begins as the first
pilot community.
1973
The 60-year-old Swede television ad shakes up the country.
1974
ParticipACTION launches newspaper (daily and weekly) PSA messages.
1976
Sun Life Assurance Company and the Kinsmen Clubs of Canada work
with ParticipACTION to build activity trails called "ParticiParks"
in over 100 communities across Canada.
1979
ParticipACTION and the Canadian Association for Health, Physical
Education and Recreation (CAHPER) publish What’s the Matter
With Kids Today, an engaging booklet about children’s lack
of fitness and growing problems with overweight.
1980-81
ParticipACTION reaches 100,000 employees and their families with
FITNESS: THE FACTS, a comprehensive information campaign on employee
fitness.
Media support for ParticipACTION campaigns (not including in-kind)
valued at $8M.
1982
ParticipACTION Saskatoon conducts "Great Canadian ParticipACTION
Challenge," involving 50 communities across Canada.
1983
The CrownLife ParticipACTION Challenge begins and continues annually
for 11 years. For many years, the Challenge involves an annual "community
donation" of some 800 paid personnel, more than 22,000 volunteer
leaders and over 4,000,000 registered participants.
1984
ParticipACTION, Fitness Ontario and the Ontario Milk Marketing
Board create APEX (Action Program on Eating and Exercise) for use
in Ontario elementary schools. 1984-86
The ParticipACTION Network is created in partnership with Fitness
Canada, including a membership-based information magazine with sections
targeting fitness/health leaders and the public.
1985
ParticipACTION begins work with the Department of National Defence
to develop training, exercise prescription and promotional materials
for military staff and physical education instructors.
The "Health Saver" educational pamphlets program is launched
in cooperation with the College of Family Physicians of Canada and
the financial support of the H. J. Heinz Company of Canada. Eventually,
2.5 million information pieces are distributed by family physicians.
ParticipACTION adapts health education booklets produced by Krames
Communications for sale to workplaces in Canada under the ParticipACTION
brand. This continues into the mid-1990s.
1988
Through the Olympic Torch Relayand Celebration 88, ParticipACTION
mobilizes 1,730 communities in partnership with Petro-Canada and
the Canadian government. • ParticipACTION publishes Expres:
The Exercise Prescription, an adaptation for the public of the exercise
program developed for the Department of National Defence.
1989
ParticipACTION designs and implements the Vitality
awareness campaign in partnership with Health Canada and Fitness
Canada, in response to the healthy weights initiative. • ParticipACTION
hosts the TRIMand Fitness International Sport for All conference
(TAFISA) with 48 participating countries.
The CrownLife ParticipACTION Challenge program is adopted internationally
by TAFISA as "Challenge
Day", eventually attracting 25 million participants annually.
The television campaign "Body
Break With ParticipACTION" is launched and Canadians meet
Hal and Joanne.
1990
Fitness Ontario supports the development of "InformACTION",
a computer-based health communication resource for workplaces.
1991
The Canadian Public Health Association presents ParticipACTION
with the Ortho Award for "outstanding contribution to health
in Canada".
Media support for ongoing campaigns and Vitality calculated to
be $15M. ParticipACTION’s Third Decade: Enhancing Partnerships
and Community Mobilization
1992
ParticipACTION develops and distributes to 20,000 leaders of older
adult programs, health information kits called Live It Up! in partnership
with Merck Frosst Canada Inc. and six major health organizations,
including CPHA. Over one million information pieces are hand-delivered
to the target audience.
Through a team of 50 community animation specialists and over one
million local volunteer leaders, ParticipACTION stimulates over
20,000 community active living initiatives and extensive coverage
for the Canada 125 campaign.
ParticipACTION, with the support of many organizations and in collaboration
with Fitness Canada, is contracted to expand and promote Summer
Active and Winter Active campaigns.
With the support of the Ontario government, ParticipACTION launches
the Ontario Community Active Living Programme (OCALP). Four community
animators mobilize individuals and organizations to build active
living coalitions, and support physical activity in communities
across Ontario.
1993
In partnership with Crown Life Insurance Company, ParticipACTION
develops and distributes a quarterly, bilingual, health newsletter
called Quality of Lifethat goes to some 80,000 employees in some
1,000 small businesses and institutions across the country. This
continues until 1997.
1994
Nielsen media report shows that between February 1993 and January
1994, ParticipACTION gained a median monthly media exposure valued
at $230,000 (ranging from $167,000 to $538,000).
1995
The Canadian Cardiovascular Society awards ParticipACTION the Doctor
Harold N. Segall Award of Merit "in recognition of notable
contributions to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and the
promotion of cardiovascular health in Canadians."
In partnership with Health Alliance (Astra Pharma Inc., now AstraZeneca)
and the Government of New Brunswick, ParticipACTION works with a
seniors group called Aîné(e)s en marche–Go Ahead
Seniors! to develop and promote a bilingual, peer-assisted health
information program for seniors.
1998
ParticipACTION builds and launches an ambitious interactive website
in both official languages.
ParticipACTION promotes Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active
Livingdeveloped by Health Canada.
1999
ParticipACTION is one of the founding members of the Coalition
for Active Living. It is made up of hundreds of groups, organizations
and individuals committed to "making sure that the environments
where we live, learn, work and play support regular physical activity."
ParticipACTION stops producing new national public service announcement
campaign material.
2000
ParticipACTION mobilizes over 800 communities to support Canada’s
largest millennium project, "The Trans Canada Trail Relay 2000".
ParticipACTION works with the Department of National Defence (DND)
to produce training resources for Land Force Command and special
programs for DND firefighters, special forces and pregnant soldiers.
The ParticipACTION Board decides to cease operations.
2001
ParticipACTION officially closes in January.
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