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70 CHAPTER 3 ■ Saskatchewan in Motion

Saskatchewan is a motor vehicle–based society. The small population (1
2
million) is spread out over a large land mass (651,900 km ), even in large
communities. Community growth trends have also moved shopping, ser-
vices, and major recreation facilities to the edges of communities, forcing
people to almost exclusively choose motor vehicles over more active modes of
transportation.
For many stakeholders, physical activity strategies are add-on activities.
Alongside healthy eating, substance abuse, and crisis management in hospi-
tals, physical activity is just another issue competing for investment by deci-
sion makers.

P O S I TI O NIN G STATEMENT S

SIM wants people in Saskatchewan to see physical activity as:
• Fun, easy, and safe—providing energy and a sense of well-being, feeling
and looking good, as well as a sense of pride by being a good role model
for children.
• Providing a break in our busy lives.
• Being adopted by a growing number of people in Saskatchewan (being
part of a movement).

Calls to action to stakeholders and decision makers should be perceived as
realistic. As an initiative, SIM was designed as a provincewide (nongovernmen-
tal) “movement” to promote physical activity (not owned by one organization)
supported by thousands of community leaders (including Aboriginal leaders),
schools, workplaces, and health professionals to create conditions that are con-
ducive to physical activity where people live, learn, work, and play. In short, SIM
wants the people of Saskatchewan to increase physical activity for themselves
and those they care about.

STR ATE G I E S

Mobilizing Settings Around the 4Ps
The “settings” approach of SIM is specifically aimed at addressing various prod-
uct, price, place, and promotion considerations related to physical activity. In
keeping with the roles recommended by Maibach (2003) for state-level organi-
zations, SIM systematically approaches settings through a number of mobiliza-
tion and advocacy interventions: