Sport for Life celebrates eight years of physical literacy in Ontario

As a nationally recognized not-for-profit organization, Sport for Life’s mission is to create a future where everyone has the opportunity to develop physical literacy and access quality sport and physical activity programs.

How can we do that? By bridging gaps between sectors, creating new collaborations with Canadian institutions, and mobilizing our knowledge to communities across the country.

This year, we are celebrating and looking back on eight years of collaboration and innovation in the province of Ontario. Together with the Government of Ontario, the Ontario Trillium Foundation and multiple communities, we have worked to advance the health of Ontarians, create a base for them to be more confident movers, and support community members to move more often through sport, physical activity, dance and the arts.

Some of the initiatives that have come out of Ontario to further quality sport and physical literacy include: 

Physical Literacy Initiatives

Physical Literacy for Communities

The Physical Literacy for Communities (PL4C) program supports community leaders across the country who are committed to creating and sustaining healthy, active communities through the development of physical literacy to improve physical activity and quality sport; it provides support, products & services through education, training and mentorship using a sustainable community development model. PL4C’s engagement strategy provides a focused framework that connects and aligns physical activity partners and initiatives.  

In Ontario, PL4C has supported community leaders who are committed to creating and sustaining healthy, active communities through intersectoral collaboration between health, education, recreation, sport, and justice, among others. Sport for Life has engaged with five community-based cross-sectoral projects in Ontario, which is part of a network of over 40 community development projects across Canada.

Physical Literacy in Early Childcare

Sport for Life has delivered physical literacy training in 10 communities to build the capacity of early childhood educators in schools and the community.

Physical Literacy for Older Adults

Sport for Life has trained over 100 care providers to deliver physical literacy-based activities and programming for older adults in the province.

Physical Literacy Assessment

Sport for Life has assessed over 50,000 children in Ontario using the PLAYbasic Physical Literacy Assessment for Youth tool. We have also supported after-school programs and provided training to after-school providers based on collected data.

Quality Sport Initiatives

Indigenous Long-Term Participant Development

In partnership with the Aboriginal Sport Circle, Sport for Life has delivered—and continues to deliver—workshops for mainstream organizations to be inclusive of Indigenous participants and Indigenous communities, aiming to improve the quality of sport and increase opportunities for physical literacy development.

Sport for Life for All Newcomers to Canada – Creating Inclusion of Newcomers in Sport and Physical Literacy

This resource was developed with pertinent feedback from partners in Ontario. The resource outlines the barriers that newcomers may face in their sport and physical activity participation, provides examples of solutions and opportunities that exist, and introduces promising practices giving work being done across Canada.

Long-Term Development in Sport

Sport for Life has provided Long-Term Development (LTD) information and expertise to most of Ontario’s provincial sport organizations. Long-Term Development provides a framework for the development of every child, youth, and adult to enable optimal participation in sport and physical activity. For more information on LTD, visit our Long-Term Development webpage.

We look forward to continuing our work in collaboration with communities, governments, organizations and clubs in Ontario, furthering quality sport and physical literacy in the province, and building on these successes with our work across Canada and worldwide.