Table 2 Policy timelines by province

1984 [18,52]

The Health and Physical Education Council of the AB Teachers’ Association releases 2 position papers calling for 30 minutes of Quality Daily PE in AB schools.

1989 [9]

The Health and Physical Education Council of the AB Teachers’ Association develops Schools Come Alive to increase students’ awareness and skills for active living.

1990 [54]

The AB Coalition for Healthy School Communities is created to facilitate networking and information sharing among those with an interest in comprehensive school health.

1995 [53]

Schools Come Alive releases a strategic plan to make PA and PE priorities in AB schools.

1998 [63]

AB’s Active Living Strategy recommends that AB schools create opportunities for students to be physically active each school day.

2000 [64]

AB releases a new PE curriculum emphasizing PA and attainment of life-long active living.

2001 [53]

Schools Come Alive creates Ever Active Schools as a pilot project to encourage active living initiatives in schools.

2001 [57]

The Coalition for Active Living reports PA has declined in Canada partly because PE has been cut in schools.

2001 [60]

The Mazankowski report suggests students should have the opportunity for regular exercise as part of every school day.

2002 [61]

Delegates at the AB Future Summit propose re-introducing daily PA into the school curriculum.

2003 [62]

AB’s Commission on Learning recommends a new wellness program for students from kindergarten to grade 12 that includes some form of daily activity.

2003 [56,65]

AB Learning announces a daily PE policy for students in grades 1–12 (later corrected to DPA).

2005 [66,67]

AB implements a DPA policy for grades 1–9. Plans to implement DPA in high schools are cancelled.

1998 [17]

ON releases a Health and PE curriculum requiring student participation in daily, sustained, moderate or vigorous PA (with minimum time expectations for some grades).

2001-02 [69]

ON develops a Stakeholder Sport Action Plan to support the Canadian Sport Policy¹.

2002 [73]

The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care proposes a school-based, province-wide initiative for primary prevention of diabetes.

2004 [70,71]

ON implements a Healthy Schools Program.

2004 [73]

A comprehensive school health initiative called Living School is launched, and includes DPA.

2004 [72]

The Chief Medical Officer of Health releases a report recommending policies be developed to support the ACTIVE2010 Sport and Physical Activity Strategy, and that quality daily PE and PA opportunities be provided in schools.

2004 [69]

ON’s ACTIVE2010 Sport and Physical Activity Strategy supports implementation of 20 minutes of DPA in elementary schools.

2005 [68]

ON announces a DPA policy for grades 1–8.

2006 [68]

Full implementation of the DPA policy is expected by the end of the 2005–06 school year.

1983 [86]

The Directorate of Agencies for School Health (DASH) BC is established and later introduces the concept of comprehensive school health in BC schools.

1989 [86]

A Government Office of Health Promotion is established in BC.

1992 [86]

A Healthy Schools program is launched throughout BC.

2002 [86]

The Healthy Schools program ends.

2001-02 [88,89]

Stakeholder consultations to identify the strategic agenda for action on PA in BC schools leads to development of Action Schools! BC.

2003 [86,87]

The BC Provincial Health Officer’s report recommends a re-commitment to support Healthy Schools initiatives.

2003-04 [89-91]

Action Schools! BC is evaluated and proves acceptable, feasible and efficacious.

2003-04 [93]

BC develops a chronic disease prevention strategy, Healthy BC 2010.

2004 [92]

Widespread dissemination of Action Schools! BC is funded through the Healthy Schools Program.

2005 [93,94]

The BC Healthy Living Alliance circulates The Winning Legacy to each Ministry to advocate for multi-level interventions (including school-based initiatives) to curb chronic disease.

2005 [93]

Healthy BC 2010 is renamed ActNowBC and aims to make BC a North American leader in healthy living and physical fitness.

2006 [95]

The BC Medical Association recommends 30 minutes of DPA in schools to the BC Select Standing Committee on Health.

2006 [96]

The Select Standing Committee on Health recommends that every student be required to participate in DPA and that Action Schools! BC be expanded.

2007 [97]

The BC government announces that DPA will be mandated in all BC schools (kindergarten to grade 12).

2008 [97]

A DPA policy is implemented in all BC schools.

1975 [74]

A MB Physical Education Working Group proposes that all MB schools be required to offer 40 minutes of PE per day, including 20 minutes of vigorous PA.

2000 [75]

MB adopts an integrated approach to PE/Health Education programming that recognizes the value of regular PA.

2000 [76]

The Healthy Child MB Strategy is implemented that focusses on creating child-centered public policy.

2000 [77]

Nurses-in-Schools is introduced to support public health in schools.

2002 [78]

The MB Physical Activity Action Plan recommends mandating daily PE from kindergarten to grade 12.

2003 [77]

Nurses-in-Schools expands to become MB Healthy Schools, a program that draws on the principles of comprehensive school health.

2005 [80]

The Healthy Kids, Healthy Futures Task Force Report recommends changes to the MB PE/Health Education curriculum and a voluntary in motion program to engage students in 30 minutes of DPA.

2005 [79]

The MB government pledges to implement all 47 of the Task Force’s recommendations.

2005 [82,83]

MB in motion is launched to increase PA in MB.

2005 [84]

Healthy Schools and MB in motion partner to offer Healthy Schools in motion to support 30 minutes of DPA for all students.

2007 [79,85]

The MB government mandates the amount of time students in kindergarten to grade 10 must spend in PE/Health Education classes.

2008 [79]

The MB government implements a PE/Health Education curriculum for students in grades 11–12. Students in grades 11–12 are required to complete 2 PE/Health Education credits for graduation, including ≥ 55 hours of MVPA per credit.

2001 [98]

School^PLUS is released, outlining a vision for schools to meet the needs of the ‘whole’ child.

2001 [99]

In response to the Clear Lake Accord¹, SK releases a provincial strategy with a goal of ensuring schools provide DPA called A Physically Active SK.

2003 [101]

SK in motion is launched to increase PA across the province.

2004 [100]

The SK population health strategy outlines a plan to support regular PA in schools.

2006 [101,102]

SK in motion changes its focus to school-aged children and promotes 30 minutes of PA at home, 30 minutes at school and 30 minutes in the community. In motion schools provide ≥ 30 minutes of DPA.

2009 [103,104]

Quality Daily PE is reported to be widely implemented in SK.

2010 [105]

A provincial DPA policy is announced for all schools.

2010

Voluntary² implementation of the DPA policy begins.