Ottawa Takes Notice of the Fitness Industry
by David Hardy
You Deserve a Tax Break Campaign Making Waves
According to Fitness Industry Council of Canada (FIC) President Dave Hardy, “hundreds of thousands of (You Deserve a Tax Break Campaign) postcards have already been received by the Minister of Finance.”
Nationally, the response to the campaign has been much greater than ever expected – FIC is still receiving requests from facilities wanting to register for the campaign or who are out of postcards and have a high demand from members for more. Since its launch, over 75% of the facilities in Canada have registered for the campaign. Industry support is not limited to any one region or fitness franchise - the campaign has received resounding support from the entire industry as a whole.
But the success of the campaign is not limited to the number of printed postcards mailed to the Minister of Finance. It is as equally important online e-postcards – which are delivered not only to the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, but also to local Members of Parliament – be sent to help persuade government to make gym memberships tax deductible.
“While it is important the printed postcards make their way to the Minister of Finance’s office, it is equally as important local Members of Parliament understand their constituents are in support of this important and exciting campaign,” says Hardy.
To increase the success of this campaign, please visit www.YouDeserveATaxBreak.ca to submit your online e-postcard. This campaign is only as successful as we as an industry make it – please be sure to visit the Tell a Friend (http://www.youdeserveabreak.ca/en/tellafriend.html) link and encourage others to also send an online e-postcard.
In an effort to reduce national health care costs while improving the health and physical activity levels of Canadians, Fitness Industry Canada (FIC) launched the “You Deserve a Tax Break” postcard campaign at the beginning of September, encouraging fitness club members to send a postcard – via mail or email – to the Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and local Members of Parliament.
“By reducing economic barriers to exercise by allowing people to deduct the cost of gym memberships, FIC hopes to promote affordable fitness solutions by encouraging positive health behaviors in the community,” says FIC President Dave Hardy. “This is a natural extension of the Children’s Fitness Tax Credit promised and delivered by the Conservative Government allowing for a credit of up to $500 in eligible fees.”
During the last Federal election, FIC distributed a letter to all Canadian political parties requesting their position concerning tax deductibility for gym memberships.
According to the Conservative Party of Canada, “a Conservative government would consider extending a plan to cover gym memberships for all ages should the fiscal framework allow for such a measure.” The Conservative party agrees “with the intent and objective of such an initiative and promises to give it serious consideration.”
With over 1 million printed postcards and 16,000 online postcards being delivered to the Minister of Finance, FIC is confident the government is listening.
“The timing has never been better for us to achieve tax deductibility for gym memberships,” says Hardy. “There is a healthcare crisis in our midst demanding our attention, the Conservatives have moved forward on their promise to provide a credit for Children’s Fitness, we as an industry are for the first time working together to make a positive difference, and, most importantly, the government is listening.”
Fitness Industry Canada has presented their brief on behalf of membership tax deductibility before the House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Finance Pre-Budget Consultations on October 4, 2006. Visit www.ficdn.ca to learn more.
David Hardy, MBA, is president of Fitness Industry Council of Canada (FIC), a not-for-profit trade organization representing the commercial fitness industry in Canada and president of Club Fit Corp. that operates five fitness clubs in Edmonton with over 20,000 members. David is a member of the Fitness Business Canada and Checkfree (formerly Aphelion Health Club Software) advisory boards and a contributing author to Human Kinetics publications.
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November 22nd, 2006 at 6:15 am
Iam a fitness instructor and personal trainer. I wish that the goverment would spend more money on people like me then on people to start program that are there only for a day. Organization get all kind off money and to promote fitness and thats all they do promote but no program. Give me money and give you hundred off classes and program.
December 2nd, 2006 at 3:39 am
Preventive Health Care is slowly becoming a recognized necessity. We must make this a major concern in everyday life. As time progresses we are confronted with many avoidable diseases and conditions, which in turn stress our population and our health care system. Doctors today spend their time dealing with our own negligence and abuse. If the Government would stand up and take responsibility to its people in solving health problems before they begin (rather than after), maybe this could allow our trained medical professionals to concentrate their efforts in other areas that are not so easily avoidable. It is never too late for someone to break out of their sedentary lifestyles and maybe this little monetary incentive will make for a healthier Canada.
www.YouDeserveATaxBreak.ca everyone should know!