Participation in cultural or religious practices, recreation or sport

Proportion of the population reporting membership or participation in selected types of groups, organizations and associations in the past 12 months.

This indicator is measured in the General Social Survey (GSS) – Social Identity, the Canadian Social Survey (CSS), and the Survey Series on People and their Communities (SSPC). Survey respondents are asked:

In the past 12 months, were you a member or participant in the following groups, organizations or associations? These could be formally organized groups or just groups of people who get together regularly to do an activity or talk about things.

Include groups you are active in through the Internet.

• Sports or recreational organization
  e.g. hockey league, health club or golf club
• Cultural, educational or hobby organization
  e.g. theatre group, book club or bridge club
• Union or professional association
• Political party or group
• Religious-affiliated group
  Exclude regular attendance at your place of worship.
• School group, neighbourhood, civic or community association
  e.g. parent-teacher association (PTA), alumni association, block parents or neighbourhood watch
• Humanitarian or charitable organization or service club
  e.g. Meals on Wheels, United Way, Unicef, Heart and Stroke Foundation, Distress Centre, Rotary Club, Red Cross
• Seniors' group
  e.g. seniors' club, recreational association or resource centre
• Youth organization
  e.g. Me to We, Scouts, Guides, Big Brothers or Big Sisters, YMCA or YWCA
• Immigrant or ethnic association or club
• Environmental group
  e.g. in the areas of conservation, ecology, the environment or animal rights
• Other type of group, organization or association
  Specify other type of group, organization or association

• General Social Survey (GSS) - Social Identity
  • Table 43-10-0065-01 – Civic engagement and engagement in political activities, by groups designated as visible minorities and selected sociodemographic characteristics, 2020
• Survey Series on People and their Communities (SSPC)

• Sports: More than just a game (Statistics Canada – Infographics, March 5, 2024)

• Kicking around the soccer stats (StatsCAN Plus, June 12, 2024)
• Enjoying the great (snowy) outdoors (StatsCAN Plus, December 19, 2023)
• Participation in Canadian society through sport and work (The Daily, October 10, 2023)
• Portrait of the social, political and economic participation of racialized groups (The Daily, May 17, 2022)

The Canadian Social Survey (CSS) (Wave 2), the General Social Survey (GSS) - Canadians at Work and Home, the Households and the Environment Survey (HES) and the Indigenous Peoples Survey (IPS) ask related questions.

The CSS (Wave 2) asks:

In the past 12 months, which of the following outdoor or wilderness activities have you participated in?

• Fishing
• Hunting or trapping
• Foraging for food such as berries or mushrooms
• Snowmobiling, ATV or other off-road vehicle use
• Tent camping
• Canoeing or kayaking
• Hiking or backpacking
• Snowshoeing or cross-country skiing
• Wildlife viewing or photography, outside the home
• Mountain biking
• Motor-boating or jet skiing
• Some other activity
• You did not participate in outdoor or wilderness activities

In the past 12 months, which of the following have you actively participated in?

• Making music (e.g., singing in a choir, playing an instrument, remixing music)
• Theatre (e.g., acting, storytelling, comedy)
• Audio-Visual and Interactive Media (e.g., making films, animation, videos)
• Dance (e.g., dancing in a public performance or amateur show, or as a choreographer)
• Visual arts (e.g., painting, photography, sculpture, drawing)
• Craft (e.g., needlework, scrapbooking, woodwork, metalwork, pottery)
• Writing (e.g., poetry, plays, stories, editorials and reviews)
• Some other activity
• You did not participate in cultural activities or hobbies

The GSS on Canadians at Work and Home asks questions similar to those above.

The HES includes the following questions:

In the past 12 months, did you/anyone in your household participate in any outdoor activities close to your home?

• Yes
• No

What type of outdoor activities?

• Walking
• Jogging, running, rollerblading, or cross-country running
• Hiking
• Football, soccer, field hockey, basketball, volleyball, baseball, rugby, lacrosse, ultimate (frisbee), or ball or road hockey
• Golfing, croquet, lawn darts, lawn bowling, or bocci
• Boating, sailing, canoeing, kayaking, rafting, rowing, dragonboating, or seadooing
• Swimming, going to the beach, surfing, scuba, or snorkeling
• Bicycling
• ATV
• Skiing, snowboarding, or telemark
• Snowmobiling
• Cross-country skiing or snowshoeing
• Hunting
• Fishing
• Camping
• Picnicking or BBQ
• Skating
• Hockey, broomball, or curling
• Bird watching, or photography
• Exercise, tai chi, aerobics, or yoga
• Going to the park or playground
• Mountain climbing
• Tobogganing or sliding
• Geocaching
• Badminton or tennis
• Other

The infographic Local environments lift life satisfaction presents data from these HES questions (Statistics Canada – Infographics, May 3, 2022).

In the IPS, survey respondents are asked the following questions:

Are you a registered member of a Métis organization or Settlement?

• No
• Yes, registered member of a Métis organization or settlement

Has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted your ability to participate in Indigenous group activities?

• Yes
• No

Outside of school hours, how often does the child take part in clubs or groups, such as youth groups or community organizations?

• 4 or more times a week
• 1-3 times per week
• Less than once per week
• Never

Are these generally Indigenous groups or organizations?

• Yes
• No

The IPS also asks a number of questions on the frequency of participation in harvesting, handcrafting and cultural activities. For example:

In the past 12 months, how often did you attend or participate in Indigenous cultural events or ceremonies?

• Every day
• A few times a week
• Once a week
• At least once a month
• Less than once a month
• Not at all in the past 12 months

How often does the child attend or participate in Indigenous cultural events or ceremonies?

• Every day
• A few times a week
• Once a week
• At least once a month
• Less than once a month
• Never

During the hunting, fishing or trapping seasons, how often did you hunt, fish or trap?

• Every day
• A few times a week
• Once a week
• At least once a month
• Less than once a month

During the hunting, fishing or trapping seasons, how often does the child hunt, fish or trap?

• Every day
• A few times a week
• Once a week
• At least once a month
• Less than once a month
• Never