A recent survey conducted by The Strategic Counsel revealed that swimming is the favored organized physical activity among Canadian children. The Sports360 study, carried out between March and April 2025, indicated that 73% of Canadian youth aged three to 17 are actively participating in organized physical activities. Significantly, 23% of respondents reported that their children are regularly involved in swimming activities.
Following swimming, soccer (20%), hockey (10%), and basketball (10%) emerged as the subsequent popular choices among Canadian youth. The Strategic Counsel highlighted that despite concerns about affordability, overall youth participation rates have shown an increase compared to previous research.
The survey found that organized participation in swimming, soccer, and basketball is strong for both boys and girls. Additionally, creative movement disciplines like dance and gymnastics are particularly favored among girls, with participation rates ranging from 11% to 14%.
For households of new Canadians, swimming, soccer, and basketball are the top three sports in which youth participate, with hockey also making it to the top 10 list. On average, parents and caregivers spend $1,564 per child annually on sports-related expenses, including clothing, gear, lessons, team fees, and transportation.
Conducted through 3,240 interviews using online and mobile channels with a representative national panel in the spring of 2025, the survey targeted Canadians aged 18 and older in both official languages. Notably, online surveys do not have a margin of error as they do not employ random population sampling.