From 4 Partners to 16: How Sport for Life’s Post-Secondary Partnership Program Grew in One Year

A year ago, Sport for Life’s Post-Secondary Partnership Program had four institutional partners: Acadia University, Cambrian College, Algonquin College, and the University of Victoria. All four offered one certification pathway: Physical Literacy Leader – Level 1.

Today, the program includes 16 post-secondary institutions across Canada, spans three certification pathways, reaches French-language education for the first time, and has expanded from kinesiology and recreation programs into education and sport management programs.

How It Works

Sport for Life provides workshop content to faculty at no cost. Students complete the workshops as part of their regular coursework, then finish the remaining certification components on Sport for Life Campus at a reduced rate. Graduates leave with both their degree and a professionally recognized credential.

How the Program Expanded

In spring 2025, Collège Boréal became the first French-language partner to integrate Physical Literacy Leader – Level 1 into its Fitness and Health Promotion program. That opened the door to francophone institutions across Ontario and Quebec.

Through fall 2025 and winter 2026, eight new partners joined in a single cohort, each bringing something new to the program. Brock University became the first institution to offer the Quality Sport Leader – Level 1 certification, grounded in Long-Term Development in Sport and Physical Activity, safe sport, and building belonging. Laurentian University became the first to offer two certification pathways, embedding Physical Literacy Leader in one program and School Physical Literacy Leader in another. The University of British Columbia introduced the first School Physical Literacy Leader – Level 1 partnership, designed specifically for future educators.

Georgian College, Memorial University, Mount Royal University, St. Francis Xavier University, and the University of Ottawa rounded out the expansion, each embedding Physical Literacy Leader – Level 1 into their programs.

The 16 Partners

Physical Literacy Leader – Level 1: Acadia University, Algonquin College, Cambrian College, Collège Boréal (French), Georgian College, Lambton College, Laurentian University, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Mount Royal University, St. Francis Xavier University, University of Ottawa (French), University of Victoria, University of Winnipeg.

Quality Sport Leader – Level 1: Brock University, Durham College.

School Physical Literacy Leader – Level 1: Laurentian University, University of British Columbia.

This list reflects confirmed partnerships as of March 2026.

Why This Matters

The Post-Secondary Partnership Program means students encounter physical literacy, quality sport, Long-Term Development, inclusion, and social-emotional learning as part of their education, not after they’ve entered the workforce.

The result is a generation of recreation leaders, educators, coaches, and sport administrators who enter the field with a shared language and set of tools. When a graduate with a Physical Literacy Leader certification takes a job at a municipal recreation department, they already know what physical literacy means, how to observe it, and how to build programs that develop it. That’s a different starting point than most people in the sector had five or ten years ago.

The expansion into three certification pathways matters too.

1. Physical Literacy Leader – Level 1 serves recreation and community settings.
2. Quality Sport Leader – Level 1 serves sport organizations and coaches.
3. School Physical Literacy Leader – Level 1 serves educators.

Together, they cover the three main sectors where physical literacy development happens. A student can now choose the credential that matches their career path.

What’s Next

The program continues to grow. Sport for Life is in conversation with additional institutions across Canada and internationally, and new partnerships will be announced in future publications.

For post-secondary institutions interested in joining the Post-Secondary Partnership Program, contact Thalia Moore, Senior Manager of Education, at thalia@sportforlife.ca.