We Want to Move the North: An Introduction.

Written by Molly Hogan-Thomas. Edited by Chelsea Pelletier & Gloria Fox

Introduction the Physical Activity Alliance of Northern British Columbia

We are the Physical Activity Alliance of Northern British Columbia (PAANBC). PAANBC is a group of organizations throughout British Columbia (B.C.) working together to improve opportunities for physical activity across rural and Northern B.C.  

PAANBC is led by the Physical Activity Research Lab, which operates out of the University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George, B.C.  This network aims to support organizations and communities across the North in getting more people moving. To learn more about PAANBC, visit our About Us page.  

Now that we have explained who we are, we should explain why focusing on supporting physical activity in rural and Northern communities is important.  

Physical Activity in Rural and Northern Areas 

In 2021, nearly 6 million people lived in rural communities in Canada. These communities often have unique cultures and ways of life that differ from larger, mostly southern urban city centres.¹ Research suggests that people living in rural communities often face greater physical health challenges.¹ There are many reasons people living in urban and rural communities experience different health outcomes, including access to health care, access to healthy food, and different environmental exposures.² Another reason for this is that rural and Northern communities participate in lower levels of physical activity.³ Because we know that physical activity has many health benefits, understanding why people in rural and Northern communities are less physically active is important to be able to support more movement in these communities.  

If you have read this far, you may be wondering what we mean by rural and Northern communities, and even what we mean by physical activity. Keep reading, and we will explain exactly how we define these concepts!  

Definitions

Defining Physical Activity  

Physical activity is any movement that uses energy and makes your heart beat faster. Physical activity includes exercise, sports, recreation, active forms of transportation (such as walking, wheeling, or cycling), work that includes physical labour, and household chores.⁴,⁵ 

Defining Rural and Northern Communities  

Defining Northern communities can be challenging. In Canada, the North is often thought of as the three territories (Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and the Yukon).⁶ However, the provinces also identify their own Northern regions, often called the Provincial North.⁶,⁷ For an idea of the land this covers, see the map from Statistics Canada below.⁵ The Provincial North tends to include less populated areas with more remote and rural communities that are structurally different them urban areas with a more spread out built environment.  

A map of the Canadian North, including the Provincial north barriers, where the red line delineates the North-South boundary, and the white line delineates province and territories. (Credit: Statistics Canada)  

There is no single way to define a rural community. Different organizations may use different definitions. The B.C. government suggests that rural communities be identified by their population size and how far they are from larger cities.⁸ Communities with smaller populations and greater distances from urban centres are typically considered rural.⁸ For more details, see the image below.  

The rural matrix. Credit: Hammond, Breen, & Gibson, 2026   

But at this point, you are probably wondering why we are talking about all of this?  

PAANBC Goals  

As part of our partnership, PAANBC will publish a series of blog posts sharing evidence-backed information, tips, and strategies to promote physical activity in rural and Northern communities.  

We will be kicking off our series with a blog about the factors that affect participation in physical activity in the North. This post will explore some of the unique challenges that can make it harder for people in rural and Northern communities to be physically active. Over the coming year, we will partner with organizations throughout the North to explore solutions to these barriers and other topics related to physical activity promotion.  

If you have a topic you would like to suggest, feedback you would like to provide, would like to submit your own blog post (that is relating to physical activity in rural and Northern communities), or are an organization that would like to partner with us on a blog post, please submit it to our Community Engagement section.  

Summary  

PAANBC is a network of organizations throughout the North focused on increasing physical activity within rural and Northern communities. Rural and Northern communities have greater health disparities and lower levels of physical activity. PAANBC is releasing a set of blog posts to share information, resources, and solutions that support healthier and more active rural and Northern communities.  

References  

1. Pelletier C, Ward K, Aird C, et al. Barriers and facilitators to physical activity in rural communities: Using the Behaviour Change Wheel to identify intervention functions. BMC Public Health. 2025;25(1):3315. doi:10.1186/s12889-025-24672-2  

2. DesMeules M, Pong RW, Read Guernsey J, Wang F, Luo W, Dressler MP. Rural health status and determinants in Canada. Health in rural Canada. 2012;1:23-43. 

3. Pelletier CA, White N, Duchesne A, Sluggett L. Barriers to physical activity for adults in rural and urban Canada: A cross-sectional comparison. SSM Popul Health. 2021; 16:100964. doi:10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100964 

4. Alamilla RA, Kaushal N, Bigatti SM, Keith NR. Comparing barriers and facilitators to physical activity among underrepresented minorities: Preliminary outcomes from a mixed-methods study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 2025;22(2):234. doi:10.3390/ijerph22020234  

5. World Health Organization.  Physical activity. Published June 26, 2024. Accessed June 17, 2026. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity  

6. Statistics Canada. Delineating Northern and Southern Canada. Government Of Canada. Published July 4, 2019. Accessed June 18, 2026. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/190704/mc-a001-eng.htm  

7. Statistics Canada. North and South - Variant of SGC 2021 - Additional information. Government of Canada. Published February 9, 2022. Accessed June 18, 2026. https://www23.statcan.gc.ca/imdb/pUtil.pl?Function=getNote&Id=1372103&NT=04  

8. Hammond D, Breen SP, Gibson R. A rural matrix: A pragmatic alternative approach to defining rural for policy and practice. J Rural Stud. 2026; 123: 104066. doi:10.1016/j.jrurstud.2026.104066 

Barriers to Physical Activity in Rural and Northern British Columbia

Written by Molly Hogan-Thomas. Edited by Chelsea Pelletier & Gloria Fox

Introduction 

In our last blog, we introduced who we are, our objectives, and the objectives of this blog post series (to see that post click here). In this post, we explore the factors that make it harder for people living in rural, and Northern communities to be physically active.

Barriers are things that make it harder to be physically active. Barriers to physical activity have been noted across many communities and countries, including Canada.¹  Even though some rural and Northern communities have increased access to parks, trails, and natural spaces, residents typically report lower levels of physical activity.²,³,⁴ This is likely because of the unique barriers that come with living in rural and Northern communities, such as a lack of access to indoor spaces, more severe winter weather, and less access to services in the community that support activity. Understanding these challenges can help communities and organizations when designing programs to encourage physical activity in rural, remote, and Northern Canada.⁴ 

Common Barriers to Physical Activity in Canada 

Many barriers that are experienced in rural and Northern communities are also experienced by people in urban cities. Examples include time, support to be active, individual confidence and motivation, and financial ability to afford the activities. We will not cover common barriers in this blog post, as they have been widely studied and reported on. However, if you want to know more, ParticipACTION has a great blog post that discusses these barriers in detail. 

Unique Barriers to Physical Activity 

Unlike people living in large cities, people living in rural, remote, and Northern communities are more likely to face social and environmental barriers. 

The Built Environment 

Many rural communities are not built for biking or walking. Homes, workplaces, and services are often located far apart, with few or no sidewalks, bike lanes, and buses.⁵ Yet within rural communities, walking remains such an important form of transportation that sidewalks are rated as the most important transportation structure.⁵ People report avoiding biking and walking for transportation because it feels unsafe or will take too much time.² Limited infrastructure can make other barriers, such as weather conditions, or a lack of time or money, more difficult to overcome, because of the increased travel needs.⁶

Social Support 

Social support plays an important role in physical activity engagement everywhere.¹ However, it is especially important in rural and Northern communities.¹ Strong community connections are one of the biggest strengths of many rural and northern communities and can encourage people to be more physically active. Likewise, a lack of social support can be a greater barrier to physical activity in rural and Northern communities.¹ It is unclear exactly why this is; however, a study looking at healthy ageing and the role of social support found that there were fewer community facilities and support in rural communities.⁷ As a result, people often depended on friends, family, and neighbours for support.⁷ In rural and Northern communities, limited infrastructure often means people rely on outdoor spaces for physical activity. Because outdoor activities such as hiking can involve environmental and safety risks, people are often encouraged not to participate alone. As a result, friends, family, and community members can play an important role in supporting safe participation in outdoor exercise. This suggests that strengthening social connections and community support may help reduce some of the barriers created by a lack of facilities. Research supports this idea, with people in rural and Northern communities identifying hiking and running groups as factors that help them stay active.²

Wildlife Safety 

Outdoor activities such as hiking are often affordable and popular ways to stay active in rural, remote, and Northern communities. We have some of the best outdoor playgrounds around! However, concerns about wildlife safety can discourage participation.² Educating people on wildlife safety could help people feel more confident and encourage being active outdoors. 

Infographic on hiking safety.

Hiking packing guide

Knowledge of the Area 

Another key barrier people report is navigating the wilderness, with many reporting a fear or experience of getting lost.² Fortunately, technology can help reduce this barrier with several free hiking apps that can help people plan routes and navigate trails safely. Remember that much of our northern wilderness doesn’t have cellular service, so it’s always a good idea to download maps ahead of time for offline use. Community organizations and municipalities often produce local recreation and trail guides that can be helpful when navigating a new place.  

Weather 

Weather strongly influences physical activity levels. Research suggests that people are less active during wet, windy and colder conditions.⁶ People in rural communities may be particularly affected because there are often fewer indoor recreation options.¹ Additionally, seasonal weather shifts are often more extreme in Northern communities.  For example, snow cover can be seen for as long as 224 days out of the year,⁸ with up to 18.5 hours of darkness.⁹* Snow and ice can make walking, cycling, and driving difficult.⁶ 

 Climate Change 

Climate change is making it harder for some people to stay active, particularly in rural and Northern communities. This is because many rural and Northern communities rely heavily on the natural environment as sources of income, food, and water.¹⁰ Because people in rural and Northern communities have a high reliance on the outdoors due to a lack of infrastructure,² natural disasters, such as wildfires, poor air quality, extreme temperatures, and severe weather, can all make outdoor physical activity more difficult.¹¹ 

Conclusion 

Many barriers to physical activity are common across Canada, but people in rural and Northern communities often face extra challenges. These can include limited facilities and infrastructure, harsh weather, concerns about wildlife safety, a lack of information, and a greater need for social support. At the same time, these communities have many strengths, including access to nature and strong community connections that can support active lifestyles.  Understanding both the challenges and strengths can help communities, organizations, and policymakers create programs, spaces, and resources that make it easier for people to be physically active in rural and Northern Canada. 

References 

1. Pelletier CA, White N, Duchesne A, Sluggett L. Barriers to physical activity for adults in rural and urban Canada: A cross-sectional comparison. SSM Popul Health. 2021; 16:100964. doi:10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100964 

2. Pelletier C, Ward K, Aird C, et al. Barriers and facilitators to physical activity in rural communities: Using the Behaviour Change Wheel to identify intervention functions. BMC Public Health. 2025;25(1). doi:10.1186/s12889-025-24672-2 ‌ 

3. Weigand M, Wurm M, Droin A, et al. Are public green spaces distributed fairly? A nationwide analysis based on remote sensing, OpenStreetMap and census data. Geocarto Int. 2023;38(1). doi:10.1080/10106049.2023.2286305 

4. Nigg C, Fiedler J, Burchartz A, et al. Associations between green space availability and youth’s physical activity in urban and rural areas across Germany. Landscape and urban planning. 2024;247:105068-105068. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2024.105068 

5. Hansen AY, Umstattd Meyer MR, Lenardson JD, Hartley D. Built environments and active living in rural and remote areas: A review of the literature. Curr. Obes. Rep. 2015;4(4):484-493. doi:10.1007/s13679-015-0180-9 

6. Kallio J, Turpeinen S, Hakonen H, Tammelin T. Active commuting to school in Finland, the potential for physical activity increase in different seasons. Int. J. Circumpolar Health. 2016;75(1):33319. doi:10.3402/ijch.v75.33319

7. Iverson T, Schulze M, Gill K, Switkowski Y, dos Santos IK, Ashe MC. Older adults and social support in rural Canada: A rapid mixed methods systematic review to inform social prescribing. Arch. Gerontol. Geriatr. 2025;139:106022. doi:10.1016/j.archger.2025.106022 ‌ 

8. Bevington AR, Gleason HE, Foord VN. Snow cover timing from satellite imagery: Opportunities for near-real-time mapping and seasonal forecasting. Victoria, B.C.: Canada. B.C. Tech; 2020. Report Number: 129.   

9. Sunrise/sunset calculator. Sunrise/sunset calculator. National Research Council of Canada. https://nrc.canada.ca/en/research-development/products-services/software-applications/sun-calculator/ Published August 7, 2012. Accessed June 17, 2026.  

10. Kipp A, Cunsolo A, Vodden K, King N, Manners S, Harper SL. At-a-glance - Climate change impacts on health and wellbeing in rural and remote regions across Canada: a synthesis of the literature. Health Promot Chronic Dis Prev Can. 2019;39(4):122-126. doi:10.24095/hpcdp.39.4.02 

11. Bernard P, Chevance G, Kingsbury C, et al. Climate Change, Physical Activity and Sport: A Systematic Review. Sports Med. 2021;51(5):1041-1059. doi:10.1007/s40279-021-01439-4