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New findings from Sports360, a study by The Strategic Counsel based on 3,240 interviews nationwide, reveal that the majority of Canadian adults are active on a regular basis. By understanding the fitness habits of Canadians, the report helps brands target their ad dollars by age group and sports preferences in addition to identifying new ad opportunities, such as place-based OOH in gyms and activity centres.
In the survey, 69% overall said they are active regularly, either daily or several times a week, while 74% participate in at least one sport or active hobby at least monthly. The most popular sports are hiking (18%), strength/weight training (13%), swimming (12%), yoga (12%), running (10%), cycling (10%) and golf (8%).
The other activities Canadian adults take part in are functional fitness (7%) and dance (5%), followed by six activities at 4% each: pilates, canoe/kayak, hockey, basketball, soccer, and badminton. Skiing, skating, tennis, baseball, pickleball and volleyball are in the next tier coming in at 3% each.
Outdoor lifestyle and leisure-based sports become more important as people age, while young adults prioritize high-energy and structured fitness.
Adults aged 18 to 34 favour strength and weight training (17%) and running (17%), followed by yoga (15%) and hiking (15%), with swimming (11%) and cycling (9%) also ranking high.
The survey also found that fitness influencers are becoming an important part of the culture around exercise and sports. Half of 18-to-34s follow sports and fitness creators, twice the level of the general population.
Another area that sets younger and older adults apart is their participation in team and court sports including soccer, basketball, badminton, hockey and volleyball. All draw regular participation from the 18-to-34 demo but rarely appear in the top 15 for older age groups.
Canadians aged 50-plus focus more on lifestyle, outdoor and lower-impact activities. Hiking leads for both 50-to 64 (21%) and 65-plus (20%) age groups. Swimming, golf, cycling, yoga, and strength training round out the core set of their activities. Golf is in the top six sports listed for both of those age groups.
Unlike younger adults, team sports largely drop away as older Canadians gravitate toward other activities such as functional fitness, canoe/kayak, pilates, and pickleball. Pickleball ranks in the top 15 for both 50 to 64 and 65-plus age groups. Participation peaks within the 50-to-64 age group.
The study also asked participants what types of facilities they would like to see more in their communities. Pools and aquatic centres (25%) were most frequently mentioned, followed by trails for cycling and walking (23%) and fitness/wellness facilities (20%). Racquet sports facilities such as those for pickleball, badminton and tennis were fourth in terms of interest (13%).
And where are Canadian adults getting their sports equipment and active gear? According to the study participants, Amazon is the leading individual retailer for sporting goods purchases, with 25% saying they purchased sports and active gear there in the past year, followed by Walmart and Costco (both 19%), Canadian Tire (18%) and SportChek (17%). There are regional variations in retailer preferences, where Amazon is followed by Sports Experts and Decathlon in Quebec, and Sport Check is number two in English-speaking Canada, after Amazon, followed by Walmart.
Canadians report spending just under $600 on average on apparel, footwear and other sports equipment for themselves annually, excluding any purchases for children or other family members. The highest spenders are 18- to 34-year-olds, averaging $765 annually.
