Fitness Industry Council of Canada Hosts Fitness Day on the Hill in Support of Caloric Menu Legislation

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - June 12, 2012) - Fitness Industry Council of Canada ("FIC") today hosted Fitness Day on the Hill to advocate for Canada's first legislation that would require restaurants to post calorie and other nutritional information in menus and on menu boards.

FIC has launched MenuTruth.ca, a website designed to garner support for its new initiative that requires restaurants to post calorie information and allow Canadians to make healthier food selections while dining out. Menu Truth is intended to influence the eating habits of Canadians by educating them on the nutritional value of the food that they are consuming; and in turn, affect the decisions of enough people to create a public health benefit.

Following on similar legislation in the Unites States, FIC would like to see federal legislation in Canada that would require restaurants of 10 or more locations to be transparent in the nutritional content of the food they provide. This legislation is based on a report created by the Centre for Science in the Public Interest, titled "Writings on the Wall."

FIC also used the opportunity to reiterate the importance of the Government's campaign promise to extend the Children's Fitness Tax Credit to adults and double the existing Children's Tax Credit to $1,000 once the budget is balanced in fiscal 2015.

The Adult Fitness Tax Credit would reward Canadians for leading active and productive lives by providing a $500 tax credit toward fees such as gym memberships or other organized sporting activities.

According to a report conducted by the Center for Spatial Economics titled "Economic Benefits of an Adult Tax Credit," it was found that the federal government would save $2.5 billion over the next 21 years by extending the benefits of the current Children's Fitness Tax Credit program to adults and will encourage nearly one million more Canadians to get active and healthier.

One of the main goals of Fitness Day on the Hill is to ensure that the tax credit remains at the forefront of the government's legislative agenda.

Canadians are encouraged to support new caloric legislation by visiting MenuTruth.ca, which will allow them to directly send ePostcards to their given province's Premier, Minister of Health, Federal Minister of Health, and the Prime Minister.

"Physical activity and eating right are essential habits to ensure healthy lifestyles. With the Adult Fitness Tax Credit and MenuTruth.ca, Canadians have the opportunity to achieve both" stated Dave Hardy, President of FIC.

About Fitness Industry Council of Canada

Fitness Industry Council of Canada (FIC) represents the voice of the fitness industry in Canada. Representing over 5,000 facilities with over 4 million members, FIC pursues a legislative agenda of getting More Canadians, More Active, More Often.