» Canadian Forum
Music Licensing Tariff? Child Tax Credit for Fitness? Adult Tax Credit? Caloric Menu Legislation? Big Gym Ripoff? Are You Tuned In?
Theory Fitness that currently has 21 stores and 51 franchises in operation. He manages all these businesses
while also protecting and promoting the Canadian fitness industry through FIC. The recent successful Copyright
Board court battle over the Re:Sound music tariff took its toll on FIC’s bank account to the tune of $2 million. All of this money comes from donations from clubs like yours and from fitness professionals and corporate sponsors who recognize the importance of in- vesting in the industry. If you have contributed to FIC in
David Hardy, president of Fitness Industry Council of Canada with Trisha Sarker, association manager
BY STEPHEN LONGWELL Y
ou have friends working to your great advantage: The Fitness Industry Council of Canada (FIC) and its presi-
dent, David Hardy. In March 2005, the International
Health Racquet & Sports Association (IHRSA) identified the Canadian in- dustry as “sitting ducks for bad legisla- tion.” Not long before this, the Ontario Ministry for Consumer Services passed legislation which directly regulated membership terms for fitness clubs. “We called the Ministry and asked
them why they hadn’t consulted fit- ness clubs before enacting these regu- lations,” says Don Longwell, past presi- dent of IHRSA Ontario and co-founder of Fitness Business Canada magazine. “Where were you?” they said. “We
couldn’t find anyone who represented the industry.”
62 Fitness Business Canada September/October 2012 Hardy has responded to that need.
With the support of IHRSA and sig- nificant contributions from industry veterans like David Patchell-Evans, Jack Dennison, Clive Caldwell, Michael Levy and others, Canada’s fitness in- dustry started talking to governments across Canada. Why did he do it? “Because I saw an
opportunity to invest significant dol- lars into our industry and to protect what we were building,” says Hardy. Hardy’s personal investments at
the time included Clubfit Edmonton, a chain of five centres which he even- tually sold to a private equity firm in 2008, the same firm that purchased World Health and Spa Lady. The firm (Hardy sits on the board of direc- tors) now operates 24 clubs with over 100,000 members. He is also on the board of directors for IHRSA, and in 2010 he launched a new fitness franchising company called Orange
the past, from all of the fitness clubs and professionals in Canada who have benefited from the recent Copyright Board
decision...thank you! Because of you, a 2,000 member club in Canada will now pay approximately $280 per year for this tariff rather than the original Re:Sound request for $37,180 per year (retroactive to 2008, a total of $148,720!). Looking ahead, the concept of
national certification standardiza- tion that is spreading successfully throughout Europe is likely heading to Canada. We need to ensure our voice is heard in the decisions made by poli- ticians on this and other legislative is- sues. FIC exists to give the fitness in- dustry that voice. In Canada, 65% of fitness clubs are
independently owned. We are divided by geography and by competition, but together we are over 6,000 clubs with over 5.5 million members representing a $2.2 billion industry. “We have the attention of Ottawa
now,” says Hardy. “They know us and they listen to what we have to say. This is significant progress.” Invest in your club. Invest in your
industry. Contact FIC at 1-866-402- 3422,
info@ficdn.ca or visit www.
ficdn.ca. FBC
Stephen Longwell is the general manager of Millpond Publishing, publisher of Fitness Business Canada.
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