Motivate

- The Early Years
(1973-1979)
- Don't Just Think About it - Do It
(1983-1984)
- Body Break
(1989-1991)
- Vitality
(1991-1995)
- Sharing A Healthier Future
(1996-1998)

Mobilize

- ParticipACTION Saskatoon
- CrownLife ParticipACTION Challenge

Educate

- Healthy Active Living
(Older Adults)
- Fitness: The Facts
(Workplace)
- Project APEX
(Children)
- Promotions
(1972-79)
- Promotions
(1980-86)

Impact

- International Involvement
- Canadian Public Health Association Supplement

Structure

- Historic Timeline
- People
- Sponsors

In The Beginning...

In 1969, a study commissioned by the National Advisory Council for Fitness and Amateur Sport concluded that Canadians were in terrible shape, that the future well-being of Canadians was in jeopardy and that, to all appearances, most Canadians couldn’t care less.

In response, Philippe de Gaspé Beaubien, who was Chair of the Council, asked then Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau and federal government officials to provide seed money for the creation of an independent fitness promotion agency, involving both public and private sector funding. Both Mr. Trudeau and then Health Minister John Monro, were supportive of this request.

For many, the 60 year old Swede ad was the epitome of ParticipACTION. A 15 second ad that changed the face of health promotion around the world. See video in Motivate

This new initiative was also strongly influenced by two individuals. Mr. Cor Westland, a Health Canada official with responsibility for physical activity and recreation, worked closely with de Gaspé Beaubien in its creation. Dr. Jurgen Palm, head of the late 1960’s created Trimm "Sport for All" program in Germany, provide valuable insight into possible communication strategies.

ParticipACTION was incorporated in 1971. Mr. de Gaspé Beaubien agreed to serve as the first president and recruited an influential Board of Directors including Rt. Hon. Lester B. Pearson as the first Chair of the Board.

From the beginning, Trudeau/Pearson/Beaubien established three objectives for ParticipACTION: (a) create a national awareness and educational campaign regarding the health and social benefits of an active lifestyle, with practical advice on "getting started"; (b) leverage the public funds invested by generating private sector support to at least match the public funds; and (c) cooperate with and support the efforts of community-based health, sport and physical activity leaders and their programs.

(For the record, during 29 years of existence (1971-2000), (a) ParticipACTION received $21 million in funding from Health Canada; (b) generated $40 million (cash) in support from the private sector and provincial/territorial governments; (c) obtained $65 million "in-kind" support from local communities; and (d) received over $280 million in free media exposure from some 2,500 mass media partners across Canada. All in all, an impressive return on the public funds invested.)

ParticipACTION’s mission was to be a leading catalyst and provider of information to positively influence personal behaviour and social supports which encouraged healthy, active living for all Canadians. Its vision was to involve all Canadians in improving the quality of their lives and the quality of the communities in which they live by contributing to strategies for improving health and containing health care costs through physical activity and sport participation.