According to Leger Opinion’s 2024 Physical Activity and Sport Survey, in collaboration with the Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute, 27% of adults have participated in sport in the year preceding the survey. Sport reflects physical activities that involve competition, rules, and developing specific skills. Sport participation was lower among individuals who live in rural communities (24%) compared to those who live in urban or suburban communities (28%). In a similar way, significantly fewer individuals (24%) living in small communities (<10,000 residents) stated that they participated in sport in the past year compared to 29% of adults living in larger communities (10,000 or more residents).
In addition to participation rates, “participation” reflects an understanding of the regularity of participation (months per year) and the frequency of participation (times per week) in order to distinguish regular participators and those who do not participate very often. Nationally, almost two out of ten adults (19%) who participated in sport did so every month of the year, whereas an additional 42% participated between six and eleven months of the year. Roughly four in ten (39%) participated in sport for less than six months out of the year. There were no significant differences in regularity of participation by the setting of their community or community size.
Figure 1: Regularity of sport participation (number of months/year) by community setting and size
Source: 2024 Physical Activity and Sport Survey, Leger with CFLRI
Sport participants were also asked how frequently they participated in sport on a weekly basis during the months that they participated. Almost two out of ten adults (18%) reported that they participated very frequently at four or more times a week, and 34% reported two to three times a week. Just over one-quarter of adults reported that they participated once a week. Two out of ten (20%) adults indicated that they participated less often or variably depending on the month or the season. Interestingly, there were no significant differences in frequency of participation by community setting or size.
Figure 2: Frequency of sport participation (number of times/week) by community setting and size
Source: 2024 Physical Activity and Sport Survey, Leger with CFLRI
More men than women participate in sport and this difference varies when considering community setting and size.
Overall, considerably more men than women (17% difference between the genders) participated in sport in the previous twelve months. This gender difference was also evident regardless of whether the adults lived in rural communities or non-rural communities (14% difference between the genders among those living rurally compared to a 18% difference between the genders among those who live in urban or suburban communities). Moreover, this gender difference appeared among those living in smaller communities (15% difference) and larger communities (17%). When exploring this relationship by community setting, more men living in non-rural communities (37%) reported participating in sport in the past year compared to men living in rural settings (31%), however, this relationship was not significant among women (19% of women who lived in urban or suburban communities and 18% of women living in rural settings). Gender differences by community size were also significant.
Nationally, there were considerable declines in sport participation with increasing age; for example, 53% of 18- to 24-year-olds participate in sport compared to 13% of adults aged 65 years and older. This pattern is similar regardless of community setting (i.e., it appears among those living rurally and those living in non-rural communities). In a similar way, there is a considerable decrease in sport participation with increasing age among those living in smaller communities and larger communities. There were, however, no specific differences comparing similar individual age groups by community setting or by community size (e.g., comparing 18- to 24-year-olds living in small communities versus 18- to 24-year-olds living in larger communities).
Figure 3: Participation in sport by community setting and size
Source: 2024 Physical Activity and Sport Survey, Leger with CFLRI
In terms of the number of months participating in sport nationally, a greater percentage of men overall (21%) reported participation during each month of the year compared to women (16%), whereas relatively more women (43%) said that they participated for less than six months out of the year compared to 37% of men. When considering community setting and size, among adults living in urban and suburban settings or in larger communities, a higher percentage of women indicated that they participate in sport for less than six months in the past year compared to men. Among those living in rural settings or in small communities, there were no significant gender differences.
There were very few significant differences regarding the regularity of participation (number of months) by overall age groups, with one exception; relatively fewer older adults (65 years and older) indicated that they participated in sport for fewer than six months out of the years compared to younger age groups. This relationship was significant among adults who live in non-rural communities or larger communities when comparing older adults with adults aged 25 to 44 years, but was not significant among those living in rural communities or in smaller communities (due, in part, to sample size).
Interestingly, however, there were no significant gender differences with respect to the frequency of participation per week at a national level or by community location or size. In terms of frequency of participation per week by age group, a greater percentage of young adults (aged 18 to 24 years) reported participating in sport at least four times per week compared to adults aged 24 to 64 years, and this pattern was also significant among those living in non-rural communities or large communities. On the other hand, relatively more older adults (65 years and older) nationally reported that they participated between two to three times a week compared to adults younger than 45 years. Regardless of the community setting, older adults were more likely than those aged 25 to 44 years to have participated between two or three times a week. This relationship was not, however, significant by community size.
Almost half of adults participated in a structured sport environment.
Almost half of adults (47%) indicated that when they participated in sport, they did so primarily in a structured environment, whereas 30% reported a primarily unstructured environment, and 22% reported participating in both types of environments. There were no significant differences by community location or community size.
A slightly higher percentage of men (33%) stated that they primarily participate in an unstructured sport environment compared to women (26%). This relationship was only significant among those who live in urban or suburban communities or in larger communities, and there were no significant differences gender differences related to the degree of structure in the participating environment, among those living rurally or in smaller communities.
In general, older adults (65 years and older) were most likely to have said that they primarily participated in sport in a structured environment, yet were least likely to say that they have participated in primarily unstructured environments. This pattern was only significant among adults living in urban or suburban communities or large communities, as there were no significant differences by age among those living rurally or in small communities.
Figure 4: Level of structure of sport participation by community setting and size
Source: 2024 Physical Activity and Sport Survey, Leger with CFLRI
Half of sport participants indicated that they competed in their sport. Relatively more men (57%) than women (39%) competed in sport. These gender differences also persisted, regardless of community of location in which the participant lives. For example, among individuals who live rurally, 56% of men stated that they have competed compared to 36% of women. Among those who live in urban or suburban communities, 57% of men reported competing in sport compared to 40% of women. For community size, however, there were only significant gender differences among those living in larger communities. Generally, there were no differences in the percentage reporting that they compete with age by community setting. Among adults living in larger communities, 18- to 24-year-olds were more likely than 45- to 64-year-olds to say that they competed in sport, yet this relationship was not significant among those living in smaller communities.
Roughly half or less who participated in sport made use of supports, like using a coach or training.
The survey also asked about the use of a coach for sport and whether or not the individual trains. Almost one-third of adults (32% overall – 29% of those who live in smaller or rural communities and 32-33% who live in larger communities or non-rural communities) reported the use of a coach for sport. There were no overall differences in the use of a coach by gender of the participant overall, by setting of the community, or size of the community in which the participant lived.
There was a general decrease in the use of a coach by increasing age of the participant (e.g., 51% of adults aged 18 to 24 years compared to 16% of adults 65 years and older). This relationship persisted among those who live in rural communities and those who live in urban or suburban communities. It was also a significant relationship among those living in larger communities but sample size among age groups of adults living in smaller communities precluded the ability to detect significant differences.
Figure 5: Use of a coach and training in sport by community setting or size
Source: 2024 Physical Activity and Sport Survey, Leger with CFLRI
Half of sport participants said that they trained for their sport. This percentage, however, did not vary significantly by community setting or community size. In general, a higher percentage of men (54%) stated that they trained for their sport compared to 44% of women. This relationship, however, was only significant among those who live in urban and suburban communities (56% of men compared to 45% of women) or larger communities (56% compared to 45%), yet there were no significant gender-related differences among those who lived rurally or in smaller communities.
Generally speaking, there is a decline in the percentage of adults who trained with increasing age. This relationship appeared to some extent among those who lived rurally and those who live in non-rural communities. This relationship also existed to a certain extent among those living in larger communities, and in communities of less than 10,000 residents.
Production of this summary has been made possible through a financial contribution from the Government of Canada. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent their views.
