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

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.