Categories: Canada

Canada's most active cities

Hockey is Canada’s sport of choice, but across the country there are signs that athletic activities generally are a major national pastime.

by macleans.ca on Thursday, May 28, 2009 11:05am - 13 Comments

More than half of all households in Calgary, Ottawa-Gatineau, Victoria and Saskatoon spent money on sports and recreation during 2006, according to the latest report by the Canadian Council on Learning. The Ottawa-based organization measures lifelong learning opportunities in communities, and leisure pursuits are integral to cultural engagement—residents who play in local clubs may feel more connected to their hometown. Go team.

CITY	PER CENT WHO SPEND ON SPORTS & RECREATION
Calgary	58.5%
Ottawa – Hull	58.3
Victoria	56.7
Saskatoon	52.4
Halifax	48.1
Edmonton	48.1
Vancouver	47.9
London*	47.8
Regina	47.3
Charlottetown	46.3
Fredericton*	45.2
St. John’s	45.1
Winnipeg	44.9
Toronto	42.8
Moncton*	40.2
Saint John	35.4
Québec	35.0
Montréal	33.8

Source: Statistics Canada, special tabulation, unpublished data, Survey of Household Spending, 2006. Unless indicated, data reflects Census Metropolitan Areas.

* Data for these cities only available at the economic region level.

The Big City Comparison – The Most Cultured – Return to Smart Cities

Jeremy

This comparison is completely flawed. It is based on the percentage of people that spend money on a particular activity. However, many cultural events are free and one can be very active without spending a dime. Take Vancouver for example. People are very active with hiking, jogging, rollerblading, bicycling etc. none of which requires spending any money. Similarly, Montreal has numerous free cultural events (in many of the parks across the city there is free theatre and danse throughout the summer). I suspect the fact that Calgary comes out on top of these lists stems from the fact that it tends to be a wealthy city and as a result if you judge by spending more people spend money on culture and being active but it doesn’t necessarily mean they are more cultured or more active.

matt

Yes, but Calgary has free outdoor actitivies too, and free cultural events as well. The "wealthy city" point might make sense if this was relative per capita spending, adjusted for cost of living. But's not.

Jim

What a sensational use of data; so shallow and designed to titilate…ah the business of media.
Joanne

This is nonsense. I’m from Newfoundland and I lived in Calgary for a few years in the early 90′s. I can honestly say that Calgarians are the most boring and humorless people I have ever met. They enroll in and/or pay for these activities because they are like sheep. And what else is there to do? Hang out at mall? They simply conform and follow the crowd. Doesn’t original thinking and wit count in these rankings. The western cities would rank at the bottom is these things were included.

Cole

i think the fact that u lived in Calgary in the early 90's is somewhat moot. considering its 2009 and Calgary has seen a drastic transformation both socially, economically, demographically etc. the mere fact that calgary was barely 600,000 people in the early 90's should show you how different it has become
Ryan

Well, first off Joanne, you obviously haven't seen Calgary in what, 15 years now? Sort of a changed place..and honestly, as someone who has moved around this country from one end to the other, it HAS changed. This is not the same Calgary it was in early 1990s, let me tell you that. Secondly, just because Calgary doesn't have a million "artists" hanging out on every street corner being unproductive in life does not make it "boring." Have you ever left Canada?? Clean cut cities are actually attractive to most people of the world, but Torontonians and Montrealers (and I guess Newfoundlanders now..) will never understand this concept because they get off on losers on the streets, no jobs, and an increasingly dirty society with ZERO opportunity and " a billion" overrated places to go to. I like Calgary and I am getting so tired of the eastern media slamming it..and frankly the denial I see and anger that comes from the east is almost comical now. I think if you ask any well adjusted , "opportunity" seeking person, they would agree Calgary far outranks Toronto and Montreal in todays world. Yes Calgary has a ways to go, and I can admit i wish I could import some of the restaurants and general vibrancy from larger eastern centres here, but this is only a city of 1 million, not 5 like Toronto. At one time Toronto and Montreal dominated these rankings…but proof now is that too many people, too few jobs does take a toll on a society.

Kenneth

If Calgary is so different now, why do election results from the 90s mirror those from today?

Joe

This data is GARBAGE!!!
The per capita equation is nonsense!
Calgary may spend more per capita but there will always be more arts & culture in Toronto, Montreal & Vancouver becuase they are so much bigger cities with so much more available. Try this; go into Ticketmaster.ca and compare art & culture listings including popular music between Canada's big 3 cities and then compare it to what's happening in Calgary. You'll find that that in Calgary there's less going on for paid events.
As for sports & recreation your telling me that the healthiest city in Canada – Vancouver is behind Edmonton?! Go out any day in Vancouver summer or winter there will be more people biking, running, walking & doing water sports than any city in Canada let alone Edmonton.
My god Vancouver has the prime advatage of West Coast weather alowing us outdoor activities all year while the rest of Canada is indoors on a treadmill or watching TV and we get 7th place??? ha-ha Funny survey, not one for the obvious.
Nina

I find demographis very interesting sorry i am not good in spelling. I think that the overall statistics are very inttreging
Joanne

I'm ashamed to say I'm Canadian. Westerners should be happy that we give them a good name. Everywhere we go in the world we're the ultimate ambassadors for Canada, with little appreciation. We de-boriy Canadians, especially, westerners. Shows like 'Corner Gas' and 'Little Mosque on the Prairie' give us a bad name. Canadians should bow down for Newfoundlanders. We redeem Canada and rescue us that boring image.