A Guide to Public Gyms in Canada
By: Vincent Tran
Published on: October 18th, 2024
Getting regular physical exercise is one important aspect of living a healthy lifestyle. Apart from improving your physique and other elements of your physical health, working out can also improve your mental health and self-esteem as well.
Many public fitness centres are available in Canada where you can exercise on a regular basis.
Public gym popularity in Canada
According to Statistics Canada, there are just under 9,500 fitness and recreational centres across Canada as of 2023.
Some of the public gym franchises here include GoodLife Fitness, Planet Fitness, and LA Fitness.
If you live in a big city, you will likely see a public gym or fitness centre near you. These gyms are usually busy, as many Canadians are active gym members, with over six million Canadians having a gym membership.
Membership costs
There are many public gyms and fitness centres in Canada, but to access their facilities you must pay a weekly, monthly or yearly membership fee. Staying in shape and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important, but also comes at a cost.
Gym membership prices can vary depending on many different factors such as the setting or what facilities and amenities the location has to offer. However, for the most part, gym memberships can cost between $40 to over $100 a month.
GoodLife Fitness offers customers three membership options. Each option gives you access to over 200 GoodLife Fitness locations across the country and has its own set of perks and benefits. The cheapest option is Premium at $35.99/bi-weekly while the Ultimate option costs $39.99/bi-weekly. The most expensive is the Performance option at $54.99/bi-weekly.
Planet Fitness offers customers two membership options. The Classic membership gives you unlimited access to one location and costs $15 a month with a $39 enrolment fee and $49 annual fee. The PF Black Card option gives you access to any Planet Fitness location around the world along with several perks like discounted drinks and access to special amenities. It costs $29.99 a month with a $1 enrolment fee and a $49 annual fee.
LA Fitness has locations in Alberta and Ontario only. It has two membership options. One costs $49.99 a month with a $75 initiation fee and the other option costs $54.99 a month with no initiation fee.
Amenities and perks available at public gyms
Although public gyms tend to have similar fitness machines and weights, not all are the same. They offer different perks or amenities to their customers through different membership plans. These perks can include things such as towels, gym bags, discounts on items, and others.
Varying facilities are also available at different gyms such as saunas, swimming pools and/or sports facilities including basketball, squash, or tennis courts.
Different gyms also offer fitness classes related to yoga, pilates, or spin/cycling, where instructors will guide you through movements. You can also hire a personal trainer to help you exercise. Personal trainers, who come at an additional cost, will design a specific workout program for you.
Each gym has something unique to offer. Even certain locations under the same franchise are different as their services or amenities may vary. So, look into what works for your situation before registering for a membership.