Goodlife Fitness is the largest health club company in Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 with nearly 300 outlets across the country.

The company is 100% Canadian, and was founded in London, Ontario

London, Ontario

London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...

, in 1979 by David Patchell-Evans. GoodLife has also been one of "Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies" for 7 straight years..

About 'Patch'- Founder and CEO

GoodLife Fitness is founder and owner David Patchell-Evans’ vision—to give all Canadians the opportunity to live a healthy and fit good life. The company was founded in 1979 while ‘Patch’, as he likes to be called, was still a university student with a single club.

Patch is a five-time Canadian rowing champion and a Boston marathon

Boston Marathon

The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...

er, triathelete, avid skier and former hockey player. In 2009 Patch accepted the position of Chair of IHRSA (International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association), the world's leading health and fitness association representing 110 million fitness club members in 78 countries. The extensive list of his company and personal awards includes: induction into the Entrepreneur of the Year Institute in the United States; Platnum Club member-Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies 2003-2010; Consumer Choice Award 2001-2009; and Canadian Business magazine

Canadian Business

Canadian Business is the longest-publishing business magazine in Canada. It was founded in 1928 as The Commerce of the Nation, the organ of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. The magazine was renamed Canadian Business in 1933...

's Most Innovative CEO.

Kilee Patchell-Evans Autism Research Group

The Kilee Patchell-Evans Autism Research group, named in honour Patch's 15 year-old autistic daughter Kilee, was founded at the University of Western Ontario (UWO) following a generous donation from Mr. David Patchell-Evans. The overall mandate of the group is to create a multi-disciplinary research group whose combined efforts would focus on the development of novel research methods in the study of autism spectrum disorders.. According to an article in the Times Colonist, "since 2003, Patchell-Evans has given $4 million to the Kilee Patchell-Evans Autism Research Group, and has raised millions more through his friends and contacts in the business world."

The National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada named MacFabe's university team and its research as one of the top 50 scientific discoveries in Canada in 2007.

GoodLife and Les Mills International

In June 2005 GoodLife became the official Canadian Agent of Les Mills International

Les Mills International

Les Mills International is a New Zealand company that is the world's largest provider of choreographed exercise-to-music group fitness classes distributed to health clubs. The first Les Mills program was BodyStep, with BodyPump being the first program released internationally...

 programs, the world's largest provider of choreographed exercise-to-music group fitness classes..

GoodLife Grows

GoodLife continues to expand rapidly, purchasing the 'Alliance' and 'Family Fitness' club chains in 2007-2008. As of October 2011, they have over 275 clubs across Canada.
In 2009, GoodLife Fitness expanded into Eastern Canada by acquiring Nubody's family of clubs. GoodLife Fitness also partnered with Energie Cardio in Quebec in that same year.

In September of 2011 GoodLife opened its newest club in Bedford, Nova Scotia

Bedford, Nova Scotia

Bedford is a community in the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, Canada. It was an independent town from 1980-1996. Bedford lies on the northwestern end of Bedford Basin, an extension of the Halifax Harbour...

. The newest club represents GoodLife's commitment to expand its personal training and group excercise classes to adapt to the 45 per cent of the population that is, according to the 2006 Canadian Census between the ages of 35 and 64. The club offers up-to-date cardio equipment with personal viewing monitors, a group cycling studio, a cardio theatre with plasma TVS, a lounge with massage chairs along with personal training and Group Excercise classes.

GoodLife Kids Foundation

GoodLife Kids Foundation is a Canadian private foundation that envisions a Canada where all kids have the opportunity to benefit from an active life. The Foundation strives to inspire parents, role models, mentors, leaders and individuals to deliver the message to kids, that being active is not only good for their body and mind but also a lot of fun.

In order to provide a greater impact, The GoodLife Kids Foundation partners with other organizations that have a similar focus. The granting program primarily focuses on initiatives which provide the opportunity for sustainable behavioural change in the area of physical activity.

There most recent grant was given to the Boys and Girls Club Services of Greater Victoria for their Rite of Me program and Central Saanich Adventure Program

Controversy over Misleading Ads

In 2005, a federal Competition Bureau investigation found that GoodLife Fitness clubs had published misleading ads. In a settlement, Goodlife Fitness published a corrective notice in newspapers throughout central Canada and on its website, paying a $75000 penalty and agreeing not to make false/misleading representations in future marketing.

Great Big Gym Rippoff Survey

In January 2011, GoodLife Fitness came in second place in the CBC Big Gym Ripoff survey ranking gyms with the most problems with over-billing and cancellations. However, according to the same survey, the number of GoodLife clubs in Canada is more than quadruple the number of fitness clubs owned by the other companies singled-out in the survey. From that perspective, the percentage of complaints with regards to the number of clubs GoodLife has, was significantly lower than the other offending gyms. Nonetheless, other major fitness clubs operating in Canada such as Curves, Snap Fitness

Snap Fitness

Snap Fitness is a privately owned and operated fitness chain founded in 2003 by Peter Taunton. Headquarters are located in Chanhassen, Minnesota. The company operates smaller locations than its big box competitors, such as Bally Total Fitness, with a "no frills" business model that does not include...

, Nautilus Plus or the YMCA

YMCA

The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...

were not singled-out by gym-goers in this survey.

Controversy over Sales Tactics

In January 2011, the Ottawa Citizen ran an editorial and subsequently an investigative report questioning and criticizing the sales tactics of GoodLife Fitness after one customer who wanted to cancel his membership, was handcuffed and detained at its Rideau Centre location; And after another at its Orleans location, was chastised and banned for chatting about the benefits of other fitness clubs.

Controversy over Telemarketing Practices

In 2011, GoodLife Fitness was fined $300,000 for illegally using automated calling devices, known as robocalls, to contact its members, without their prior consent, to advertise the opening of a new club . As part of a settlement with the CRTC, Goodlife Fitness published notices about the violation in newspapers and on its website.