Canadian municipalities have historically subsidized the operation of recreation centres, arenas, and public swimming pools in communities throughout the country. Unfortunately, confronted with increasingly restrictive budgets, several councils have gradually retreated from that longstanding commitment. Meanwhile, a handful of influential organizations now maintain that allocating public money to leisure facilities is fundamentally wasteful and lies well beyond the legitimate responsibilities of local government.

In an interview, Gordon Thibault of a regional ratepayers' association laid out the case. "Private gyms and fitness studios already offer everything a public centre does, so why should councils run pools at a loss? The market provides these services perfectly well.