Sport Participation in Canada ¹

HOW MANY Canadians Participate in Sport?

• In 1998, 34% of Canadians 15 years of age or more (8.3 million) participated regularly in one or more sports.
  

WHO?

• More men (43%) than women (26%) were regular sport participants. The gender gap was particularly evident among teenagers 15 to 18 years of age (80% versus 55% respectively).
  

WHAT?

In 1998, among Canadians 15 years of age or more;

• The most popular sports in Canada were golf, hockey, baseball, and swimming.
  
  
• 4.6 million (19%) belonged to an amateur sport club or organization.
  
  
• 3.0 million (12%) participated in competitions or tournaments.
  
  
• 1.7 million (7%) were amateur sport coaches.
  
  
• 0.9 million (4%) were amateur sport officials.
  
  
• 1.7 million (7%) were amateur sport administrators or volunteers.
  
  

WHERE?

• Quebec (38%) and Alberta (37%) had the highest regional amateur sport participation rates among Canadians aged 15 years or more, while Prince Edward Island (25%) and Newfoundland (27%) had the lowest.
  

WHY?

• Participation rates are higher in Canadian households with higher household income.
  
  
• Participation rates are higher in Canadian households with higher educational attainment.
  
  
• The participation of parents in amateur sport increases the likelihood that their children will also participate.
  
  
• Amateur sport participation among youth increases the likelihood that they will continue to participate as adults.
  

WHY NOT?

• Lack of time was the most often given reason for not participating in sports, followed by lack of interest and health.
  
  
• For individuals age 55 and over, age and health/injury concerns were the most frequently given reason for not participating in sports.
  

DID YOU KNOW THAT ...?

• In 1991, 53,000 Canadians worked in sports-related jobs, an increase of 14% since 1986. Women held 42% of the jobs.
  
  
• In 1994, there were a total of 27 million tourist trips in Canada for participation in sport and/or attendance at sport events (Department of Canadian Heritage, 1996).
  
  
• In 1995, 437 communities hosted 2,218 coaching courses certifying 31, 430 coaches.
  
  
• In 1995-96, the direct and indirect impact of the sport sector in Canada accounted for 358,000 jobs and $7.4 billion (1.1%) of the gross domestic product (Statistics Canada, 1999).
  
  
• In 1996, the average Canadian household spent $644 on sport goods and services. (Statistics Canada, Survey of Household Spending, 1996)
  
  
• In 1996, high performance athletes had been carded an average of four years and planned to compete in high performance sport for another five years. (Sport Canada, Status of the High Performance Athlete Survey, 1996).
  
  
• The number of sport volunteers in Canada increased by 27% between 1995 and 1996 (Goldfarb, 1997).