RESOURCES

Health Promotion & other government resources

ONTARIO'S ACTION PLAN

For Healthy Eating, Active Living

SMOKE-FREE ONTARIO

The Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy

INJURY PREVENTION

Working together for a safer, healthier Ontario

COMMUNITIES IN ACTION FUND

Creating community level opportunities for physical activity

ACTIVE2010

Increase participation in sport and physical activity strategy

PAUSE TO PLAY

The web guide for kids who want to be active

NEWS RELEASE

June 28, 2006

McGuinty Government Increases Physical Activity Across Ontario
Through the Communities in Action Fund

Funds Will Increase Access To Sport And Recreation

 

Health Promotion Minister Jim Watson joins children from the Ron Kolbus Lakeside Centre’s theatre group in Ottawa in a Jiggajump session led by David of the popular children’s entertainment duo Judy and David. The program is one of more than 20 provincial initiatives that have received a grant from the 2006-2007 Communities In Action Fund, a $5 million program that supports Ontario’s strategy to increase physical activity and sport participation at the provincial and local levels.

OTTAWA – Ontarians will have a chance to get more active through the McGuinty government’s investment of $1.8 million to more than 20 provincial organizations under the Communities In Action Fund (CIAF), Health Promotion Minister Jim Watson announced today.

Now in its third year, CIAF is a $5 million program that supports Ontario’s strategy to increase physical activity and sport participation across the province. Today’s $1.8 million investment, allocated to province-wide initiatives, is a portion of this fund.

“Through CIAF, we partner with organizations that are helping Ontario families develop more healthy and active lifestyles,” said Watson. “By increasing physical activity, we are building a healthy Ontario for healthy Ontarians. ”

Provincial recipients of this year’s grants will implement programs, which include:

  • The Ontario Physical & Health Education Association’s JiggaJump – a program that uses music to help young children get active - $190,000 grant;
  • Renewed Strength Inc.’s Community Accessibility Program – a unique project that increases access to a strength and mobility program for individuals recovering from cancer treatment - $63,000 grant;
  • Town Youth Participation Strategies’ program for youth in – offers physical activity programs for youth in rural communities who have limited access to sport and recreation opportunities - $51,000 grant;
  • The Boys & Girls Clubs of Ontario Ultimate Frisbee and Flag Football after-school programs - $88,000 grant;
  • United Nations Association in Canada’s "Sport-In-A Box" – a program that will engage youth in fun activities and dialogue on the universality of sport - $66,022 grant.

CIAF invests in community sport and physical activity and helps remove barriers to participation for children and youth, older adults, Aboriginal people, low-income families and people with a disability.

“The CIAF program helps us improve our programs and important resources so that more people in more communities can access opportunities to enjoy sport or recreation activities,” said Larry Ketcheson, CEO of Parks and Recreation Ontario. “We are pleased that the Ontario government can work with a diversity of organizations to enable people to be more active.”

CIAF is just one example of how the McGuinty government is working to increase sport participation and physical activity throughout Ontario. Other initiatives include:

  • Ontario’s Action Plan for Healthy Eating and Active Living, a $10 million plan that responds to key findings in the November 2004 report by Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health entitled Healthy Weights, Healthy Lives. The report called for a broad, province-wide effort across sectors and communities to combat obesity. The action plan offers new programs and strategies and builds on existing ones to support healthy eating and active living in Ontario.
  • ACTIVE2010, Ontario’s Sport and Physical Activity Strategy, which supports increased physical activity rates and sport participation in order to improve the quality of life in the province.
  • Ontario Trails Strategy, a $3.5 million investment over five years to improve and enhance Ontario’s trails. This includes establishing a coordinating committee for trails; developing a website to provide easy access to trail information for trail users; and, mapping the location of Ontario’s trails for use by the province’s trail organizations and the general public.

The Ministry of Health Promotion was established in June 2005 to improve and deliver programs that contribute to healthy living and wellness in this province. Key priority areas include Ontario’s smoke-free strategy, healthy eating, active living, injury prevention and mental health.

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For further information:

Mark Hazelden
Minister’s Office
416-325-8458

Julie Rosenberg
Ministry of Health Promotion
416-326-4833

Version française disponible

 

BACKGROUNDER

Provincial Grant Recipients of the 2006-07 Communities in Action Fun

 

The Communities In Action Fund (CIAF) is a major feature of ACTIVE2010, Ontario’s sport and physical activity strategy. The fund is aimed at helping Ontarians to become more physically active. Over the last two years, more than $10.8 million in CIAF grants have been awarded to over 300 organizations at the provincial and local level. This year, a total of 270 applications were submitted, compared with 187 submissions last year.

Priority was given to projects that benefit vulnerable communities, including: children and youth, Aboriginal communities, low-income families, older adults, people with disabilities, women and girls, visible and ethnic minorities, and to those projects that have a long-term impact on communities across the province. Collaborations and partnerships across different sectors were also highly encouraged.

Provincial Grant Recipients for 2006-07

4-H Clubs of Ontario – ($30,000)

"A Sporting Chance - Something New" will be a new program offered to all 4-H clubs focussing on dance and non-traditional physical activities that appeal to those not attracted by traditional sports programs.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Ontario

1. ($88,000) After-school youth programs will introduce club participants to the non-traditional sports of Ultimate Frisbee and Flag Football.

2. ($113,915) The Summer Physical Fitness Program isa drop-out prevention and intervention program that will focus on low-income youth 10-15 years of age in 56 communities during the summer months. Participants will be exposed to traditional and non-traditional physical activities that are age-appropriate, fun and non-competitive.

Canadian Intramural Recreation Association (CIRA) – ($ 42,850)

The Everybody Move resource is very successful as a turn-key and inexpensive resource to help elementary teachers get children physically active in their classrooms. This resource will now be made available in French to Francophone communities.

Canadian Tire Foundation for Families – ($50,000)

The JumpStart program will work to increase opportunities to participate in sports and recreational activities among low-income children and youth.

Federation de la Jeunesse Franco-Ontarienne (FESFO) – ($73,772)

This project consists of two components, a new participant program for athletes, trainers and leaders for the sport component of the Francophone games, and a two-year project geared to minority groups consisting of a pilot in one area and a provincial implementation in year two.

Get Active Now – ($12,000)

The "Adapted Equipment Loan Program" will encourage persons with disabilities to actively participate in sport and physical activity programs.

Go For Green – ($100,000)

“The Planning Active Transportation Communities – Ontario” project will engage 45 communities in a process to learn about active transportation and assist 15 of those communities evaluate and improve their active transportation plans.

Green Communities Association (on behalf of the City of Toronto) – ($40,000)

International Conference - Walk21 - will be held in Toronto in 2007. Three diverse Ontario communities will develop comprehensive walking plans with input from international experts.

Lifestyle Information Network (LIN) ­– ($91,775)

The grant will support expansion of the Northern Links resource database and peer support network, and creation of a toolkit for Aboriginal rural and remote community leaders to improve and better manage sport and recreation programming geared to Aboriginal children and youth.

Life Saving Society – ($70,000)

The grant will support expansion of the "Swim to Survive" safety program: a successful initiative in partnership with the Ministry of Education to conduct swimming lessons for Grade 3 students.

Ontario Association of Youth Employment Centres (OAYEC) – ($60,000)

OAYEC's province-wide fitness challenge program will encourage 55% of OAYEC's 1800 "career coaches" to be physically active by 2007. Ultimately, this project will provide positive role models to a large number of youth who use OAYEC services across the province.

Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI) – ($41,750)

The project is designed to boost sport and recreation participation of immigrant and refugee youth through culturally-appropriate programming, and training sessions to develop leadership and facilitate shared learning/promotion of good practices.

Ontario Federation of Indian Friendship Centres ­ – ($125,000)

"Ontario Aboriginal Girls & Women ON THE MOVE”: Development Capacity Around Recreational Sport and Physical Activity in Ontario Friendship Centres". Eight friendship centres will be chosen and supported in the development of female specific recreation programs under the principles and guidance of the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport's (CAAWS) ON THE MOVE program.

Ontario Physical & Health Education Association (OPHEA) – ($190,000)

JiggaJump is a new innovative program for children ages 3 to 6 designed to promote active healthy living for young children. Featuring children's entertainers Judy & David, JiggaJump will use music to engage 700,000 children in a range of fun physical activities and movement.

Ontario Track 3 Ski Association – ($69,300)

Expansion of a Ski School program for people with disabilities that will include new volunteers and participants in new areas.

Parks & Recreation Ontario (PRO)

1. ($30,030) Fifteen full-day workshops will be designed, promoted and presented in all regions of the province to 300 professionals and volunteers involved in the delivery of recreation, health and sport programs.

2. ($70,488) Expansion of Municipal Performance Measures – will allow the municipal recreation sector to develop more sophisticated performance measures that supplement government-mandated performance measures.

Renewed Strength, Inc. – ($63,000)

The Renewed Strength Inc. Ontario-wide program is designed to promote awareness of, and increase access to, a strength and mobility program for individuals recovering from cancer treatment.

Sport Alliance of Ontario – ($150,000)

There are two components to this project – the development of Community Sport Councils, and the promotion and delivery of the KidSport Ontario grant program.

Think First Ontario – ($51,833)

Schools will be supplied with hockey helmets so children can participate in recreational skating sessions.

Toronto Dragon Boats 2006 – ($60,265)

"Dragon Boat Caravan"is an outreach effort that will develop new dragon boat programs targeted at school-age children, youth, adults and seniors in 13 cities across Ontario.

Town Youth Participation Strategies (TYPS) – ($51,000)

Development of a turn-key model for recreational and physical activity programming in seven rural area youth centres throughout the province.

United Nations Association in Canada – ($66,022)

"Sport-In-A Box" – volunteer coordinators across the province will engage groups of youth (aged 9-12 years) in fun activities and dialogue on the universality of sport and core democratic principles.

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For further information:

Mark Hazelden
Minister’s Office
416-325-8458

Julie Rosenberg
Ministry of Health Promotion
416-326-4833

Version française disponible