Reflections from the CHFI National Summit on Health and Fitness

Reflections from the CHFI National Summit on Health and Fitness

After attending the CHFI National Summit on Health and Fitness on May 26, my answer is a resounding yes. See https://chfi.fit/national-summit. For a post-Summit recap, see also CHFI’s Summit 2026 update.

The Summit, hosted by the Canadian Health and Fitness Institute and sponsored by SierraSil®, Arctic Spas™, kaci™, RunGo®, and the Lotte & John Hecht Memorial Foundation, brought together an impressive roster of speakers.

Participants included Members of Parliament, federal representatives, Senators, Olympians, foreign dignitaries, academics, and leaders from across Canada. The theme was: Proactive Health in Action: What Works, What Scales, What Canada Can Implement Now.

Five ideas stayed with me after the Summit:

  • Movement, connection, and wellbeing need to be woven into our culture and become part of our shared national identity.

  • It starts with children by making physical activity fun and delaying early sport specialization.

  • We need to spend more time outdoors and in nature, taking advantage of opportunities for movement rather than prescribing rigid activity plans.

  • Our mental health crisis is also connected to meaning, belonging, and social connection; our physical, mental, social, and spiritual wellbeing matter.

  • There is a genuine willingness among senior government officials, Indigenous sport and health leaders, and municipal representatives to take action.

Several comments from speakers particularly resonated with me:

  • Ian Fraser, RA Centre CEO, offered a memorable reminder that children today are often “over-programmed and under-played.”

  • Her Excellency Hanne Ulrichsen, Norwegian Ambassador to Canada, emphasized the importance of creating a culture where children are children, not simply budding athletes, and of reducing sport dropout rates.

  • Her Excellency Hanna-Leena Korteniemi, Finnish Ambassador to Canada, spoke about the connection between physical resilience, inner strength, and the grit that movement can help build during difficult times.

  • Anne Witheford, Australian Deputy High Commissioner, reminded participants that this work is a long-term journey — not about chasing perfection, but about making progress and building real-life connections rather than living only on screen. Along similar lines, psychotherapist Larry McCloskey observed that we need more of the real world and less of the virtual.

  • Brian Torrance, President and CEO of ParticipACTION, underscored the central role of community in helping Canadians move more and live better.

  • Gabriel Hardy, kinesiologist and Member of Parliament, highlighted the political challenge that health systems remain too focused on disease rather than prevention. Senator Marty Deacon suggested replacing some sit-down meetings with walking meetings.

  • Pierre Lafontaine, internationally renowned Olympic coach and a man of immense, contagious energy, reminded us that building confidence at any age matters, sharing the story of a woman in her sixties who learned to swim.

  • Antoine Tardif, Vice-President at Burson and former Mayor of Victoriaville, encouraged us to be less prescriptive when it comes to school sports requirements and instead make better use of natural community assets, such as local parks and outdoor spaces.

As you read this, consider why being healthy and physically active is important to you. Perhaps you're preparing for a trek this fall. Perhaps you want to give yourself the best chance of remaining active ten or twenty years from now. Or perhaps you simply want to be the best version of yourself for the people you love.

Then ask yourself: What can I do this week to demonstrate my commitment to a healthy, active lifestyle? And am I willing to keep it going?

That question, what works, what scales, and what Canada can implement now, challenges all of us to think beyond my own health and fitness goals and consider how we can strengthen the health of our communities as well.

Inspired by Pierre Lafontaine's presentation and a trip my wife and I made late last summer, we have begun exploring a community initiative. It's still in its early stages, but it reflects one of the Summit's central messages: meaningful change begins when people take action where they are, with the resources and relationships they already have.

I'll share more about the project next month. In the meantime, I encourage you to consider what one step you can take before the end of next week—whether for your own health, your family, or your community. Small actions, sustained over time, are often where lasting change begins and yes, good things can indeed come from unexpected places but only when you are willing to act. The question is not whether change is possible. The question is what will you do next?

If you would like to learn more or take part, visit the CHFI Community Hub and the Let’s Move Canada / Canada Actif Challenge at https://community.chfi.fit

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