News

Province expands Fitness Tax Credit

Incentive designed to encourage young people to stay active

Winnipeg Health Region
Wave, May / June 2010

Manitoba's Children's Fitness Tax Credit will be extended to include claims for organized physical activities of young adults aged 16 to 24 starting in 2011.

"Young adults have been known to reduce their fitness activities as they graduate from high school and the physical education classes and team sports that go with it," Premier Greg Selinger said in making the announcement recently.

Now called the Fitness Tax Credit, the change is intended to encourage young people to continue in organized physical activity as they become adults and transition from school to the workforce.

Eligible fitness activities, as defined under federal legislation for the children's tax credit, with costs totalling $500 or less, can be claimed by the young adult, a spouse or parent. As a tax credit, this will reduce the Manitoba income tax otherwise payable in a year.

As is currently the case for the children's tax credit, young adults with a disability will be eligible for an additional tax credit. This is the first step toward meeting the commitment made in the 2009 speech from the throne to phase in a new adult fitness credit.

"Our government has been at the forefront of promoting physical activity as a lifelong practice," said Healthy Living, Youth and Seniors Minister Jim Rondeau. "Encouraging young people to establish good habits at an early age increases the likelihood that they'll be on the right track for life."

The Fitness Tax Credit is one component of Manitoba's comprehensive approach to raise activity levels and reduce barriers to physical activity. The vision is to make Manitobans healthier by increasing physical activity in the province by 10 per cent this year and by 20 per cent by 2015. Manitobans are on track to meet these targets, said Rondeau. The ultimate goal is for Manitobans to be the healthiest, most physically active people in Canada, he added.

For more information, please visit www.gov.mb.ca (search: fitness tax credit).

	About Wave Wave is published six times a year by the Winnipeg Health Region in cooperation with the Winnipeg Free Press. It is available at newsstands, hospitals and clinics throughout Winnipeg, as well as McNally Robinson Books. Read the May / June 2010 issue of Wave