In 2014, LIFT partnered with the government of Canada, Canadian Tire and CBC to run The Play Exchange, an online challenge on the Ashoka Changemakers platform. This national challenge was the first of its kind, designed to encourage ideas from all Canadians including schools, students, families, not-for-profits, social enterprises and businesses. It sought both new ideas and established programs that would effectively increase people’s physical activity and improve their health and well-being.
The online platform was very effective at fostering the sharing of ideas and innovations; LIFT received more than 400 submissions from across Canada. The top six finalists, selected by a panel of high-profile Canadian judges, each participated in a visioning session hosted by KPMG and received support from LIFT to develop a strategic business plan to help them enhance and implement their ideas. The six finalists were also featured in promotional spots and a one-hour televised special on CBC.
After national online voting by Canadians, the Canadian Cancer Society’s Trottibus walking school bus program was selected as the winner and received funding of up to $1 million to scale its program across Quebec and develop resources to share with other provinces that were interested in starting their own walking schools bus program. In addition, the top entry from a school in each province and territory that incorporated 60 minutes of physical activity each day also received $3,000 to implement its idea.
