Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Regular physical activity relieves stress, builds muscle, strength, reduces disease and injury, improves vascular health, and helps maintain healthy body weight. Current studies show that only 15 per cent of Canadian adults and almost seven per cent of Canadians meet New Physical Activity Guidelines, which are minimum requirements to maintain or improve health. A 2007-2009 CANPLAY report Canadian physical activity levels among youth stresses only 13 per cent of Canadians and youth in Canada are accumulating 60 minutes of physical activity per day. ParticipACTION stated that the economic burden of physical inactivity is established at $5.3 billion and the burden to our healthcare system is established at $2.1 billion. To address this inactive crisis, several programs have been created by Canadian organizations, building the new Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines, the Active 2020 strategy, and Canadian Sport Policy, 2.0.
The inactivity conditions in the NWT are just as bleak. Less than half the population participate in enough physical activity to maintain or improve their health. The 2011 NWT Health Status Report stated that a proportion of the NWT residents 12 years and older who report moderate or high physical activity decreased from 54 to 41 per cent since 2003, and 63 per cent of NWT residents are overweight or obese compared to 51 per cent of other Canadians. Currently, several NWT groups and organizations in the sport and recreation sector are doing their best to keep people active. However, there are no overarching NWT specific guides. There's evidence that the NWT needs to take action to find a solution to the inactivity crisis by developing a physical activity strategy. This was in 2012. We haven't done anything and we still continue to see the crisis, and by following a national program or promoting it, it does meet our needs. Therefore, I ask to have this moved so we can have an NWT strategy, and implement it, so we can be proactive and improve the health of our residents of the Northwest Territories.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.