The provincial government wants to get New Brunswickers more active.
A new strategy and action plan was launched this week, with a focus on encouraging movement, reducing sedentary behaviour and supporting health and quality of life provincewide.
“Movement is for everyone,” Tourism, Heritage and Culture Minister Isabelle Thériault said in a press release. “Every age, every ability, everywhere.”
The strategy and action plan, called Let’s Get Moving New Brunswick, were developed in collaboration with various health and community organizations, educators, researchers, local governments and First Nations communities.
Justice Minister Robert McKee, who is also the minister responsible for addictions and mental health services, said regular activity can lower stress, lift moods and help people feel more connected to others.
“By working together to put this plan into action, we can support healthier lifestyles, reduce stress and social isolation, and build a stronger, more active province,” he said.
According to Statistics Canada, just over one-third of New Brunswick youth get the recommended 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity.
Roughly half of adults in the province reach the minimum weekly guideline of 150 minutes.
Those numbers put New Brunswick ninth in Canada, and below national averages.
Dr. Julie Castonguay, a member of the New Brunswick Medical Society’s board of directors, said the strategy is a step in the right direction to help the province embrace meaningful opportunities to move.
“It supports healthy habits by encouraging all New Brunswickers to make physical activity a natural, enjoyable and accessible part of their daily lives,” Castonguay said.
According to a government news release, the strategy has five key principles:
- Supporting movement for every age and stage of life, recognizing that physical activity varies throughout one’s lifespan
- Building physical literacy, creating the building blocks for an active life by helping people gain the skills, confidence and motivation to be active
- Working together to benefit everyone, fostering collaboration across sectors, communities and organizations
- Making decisions with reliable information, using evidence, lived experience and innovation to guide action
- Advancing equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility for all, ensuring that everyone has fair and meaningful opportunities to be active
