Responses to the health threats posed by COVID-19 included government policies limiting access to outdoor spaces. In Canada, related restrictions varied across the different provinces. This paper presents a commentary on how regional differences in restrictions on access to the outdoors related to changes in outdoor play of Canadian children and youth.
The paper includes a brief discussion about the importance of outdoor play, information about provincial and municipal policies on access to the outdoors during COVID-19, severity of COVID-19 cases across the provinces, and differences in outdoor play across the country. An analysis of the policies included attention to how the policies both facilitated and restricted access to outdoor spaces. Closing parks is an example of restricting access; making parks car-free to encourage physical activity is an example of facilitating access. Data on COVID-19 cases as of August 17, 2020 showed that Quebec and Ontario were the hardest hit regions in Canada. Quebec had 716 cases per 100,000 people; Ontario, 276 cases per 100,000. British Columbia had, at that time, only 85 cases per 100,000 people. Earlier, however -- on March 17 -- British Columbia and Ontario had a comparable number of cases. After the closing of all National Parks on March 25, most Provincial Parks also closed. Alberta Provincial Parks, however, worked with the Alberta government to ensure continued safe access to parks. The City of Vancouver banned car access to Stanley Park and actively encouraged citizens to go outdoors and play. Information about outdoor time and outdoor play of children and youth before and after the onset of COVID-19 was obtained from surveys completed by 1472 Canadian parents in April 2020.
Provinces that had the highest number of COVID-19 cases enacted the most stringent restrictions on access to the outdoors. This isn't surprising, as the restrictions were in response to the threat of COVID. Also not surprising is the fact that the provinces with the most stringent restrictions had the greatest decline in time spent outdoors and in outdoor play among children and youth.
The importance of outdoor play to child health and well-being calls for a re-thinking of policy decisions as they relate to access to outdoor parks and other recreation areas. Policy decisions should consider ways to preserve outdoor play, particularly during periods of confinement such as during the COVID pandemic.
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