For Immediate Release
January 26, 2005

ONTARIO GOVERNMENT GRANT HELPS PROMOTE FITNESS AND SPORT IN KINGSTON
Communities in Action Fund will help Ontario get active

KINGSTON - The North Kingston Community Health Centre is receiving a Communities in Action Fund grant for $12,000 from the Ontario Government to increase physical activity and sport participation rates in Kingston, John Gerretsen, MPP for Kingston and The Islands, announced today on behalf of Minister of Tourism and Recreation Jim Bradley.

The grant, which is funded through ACTIVE2010 's Communities in Action Fund, will assist the North Kingston Community Health Centre in completing a neighbourhood sport and physical activity plan. This plan will help increase the physical activity levels of teens and older adults and will develop a core of trained activity leaders.

"Participation in organized sports and activities is a great way for all of us to improve our health, while building strong and prosperous communities," said Gerretsen "I am proud that our government is enhancing the opportunities for community sport and recreation here in Kingston, and I encourage all citizens to get out and get involved," he added.

The multi-year $5.2 million Communities in Action Fund provides grants for new initiatives that contribute to increasing opportunities for Ontarians to be physically activity and participate in sports. The fund will help local and provincial not-for-profit organizations provide more community sport and recreation projects. Priority will be given to projects that benefit underserved groups like older adults, children and youth, girls and women, persons with disabilities, Aboriginal people, those in low-income categories and visible and ethnic minorities.

"Less than half of all Ontarians are physically active on a regular basis," said Bradley. "Through ACTIVE2010 's Communities in Action Fund, we are providing funding to community projects that remove barriers preventing people from participating in sport and recreation programs."

ACTIVE2010 is the Province of Ontario's comprehensive new strategy to increase physical activity and sport participation throughout Ontario so that by the year 2010, 55 per cent of Ontarians are physically active. Find out more at www.ACTIVE2010.ca

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