"CF Play Makers" Initiative Unleashes Power of Play for Canadian Kids

Cadillac Fairview and Team Canada are expanding play opportunities for school-aged children with the launch of the "CF Play Makers" initiative.

This program, in partnership with the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), aims to provide kids with access to sports and playtime, promoting physical activity and inspiring a passion for sports.

As part of this commitment, CF will build or refurbish play spaces across Canada, starting in Ontario, to create environments where communities can thrive through unstructured play.

"Our long-standing partnership with the COC is rooted in a common goal of transforming communities through the power of sport, and this starts with our youngest generation," said Jason Anderson, SVP, Brand & Marketing, Cadillac Fairview.

"Over the past seven years, CF has partnered with the COC to grow and support the Olympic movement in Canada, and we believe that play can fuel Canadians of all ages to do their best and be their best."

Jacqueline Ryan, Chief Brand and Commercial Officer of the Canadian Olympic Committee and CEO of the Canadian Olympic Foundation, emphasized the importance of this initiative.

"We're so happy to work with partners like Cadillac Fairview who share our Olympic values and who really understand our mission to transform Canada through the power of sport. Through the Team Canada Impact Agenda, we are committed to making sport safe, inclusive, and barrier-free so more Canadians can play and stay in sport.

That's why an initiative like CF Play Makers is so impactful."

Recent research highlights the growing inactivity among Canadian youth. Over 60% of kids aged 5 to 17 are not meeting national physical activity guidelines, while more than 70% exceed the recommended maximum of 2 hours of screentime daily.

CF Play Makers aims to counter this trend by promoting active play.

To underscore the importance of play, CF has partnered with Team Canada athletes Damian Warner and Ellie Black.

"When kids play, we all win," said Warner, a gold medalist in decathlon at Tokyo 2020. "For many Team Canada athletes, myself included, playtime as children and teens was formative in our athletic journey."

"Every kid in Canada deserves the opportunity to benefit from the power of play," added Black, an artistic gymnast and three-time Olympian.

"The bonds that kids create and the trust and creativity they develop through playtime, whether in sport or otherwise, is invaluable."

Cadillac Fairview's commitment includes developing more play spaces, starting with Don Mills Collegiate Institute, Crescent Town Elementary School, and West Glen Junior Public School.

"Every child in Canada should have access to playtime," said Anderson. "As one of Canada's leading real estate owners, operators, and developers, we understand what it means to build iconic structures that reflect our communities and bring people together, and that includes spaces for kids."

To further raise awareness, CF and the COC are launching an engaging activation at the CF Toronto Eaton Centre.

Centre Court will be transformed into a giant play space to encourage adults and parents to reintroduce play into their lives and those of their children.

The pop-up slide will be available from July 4 to July 26, free of charge for both kids and adults.