If you’ve suddenly been inspired to commit to a fitness membership as part of your New Year’s resolutions, you may be entering what’s called a “continuing services contract”. We oversee aspects of these contracts, including your cancellation rights. And guess what? You can cancel within the first 10 days, no matter what.
The law in BC
Contracts for activities that are ongoing and physical in nature entitle you to certain cancellation and refund rights in BC. The rules apply to memberships, punch passes, and most physical activities that last more than a day.
Having second thoughts about your fitness commitment for 2026? Would you rather exercise outside in the cold? Or maybe the gym you signed up for wasn’t the right choice. By law, you have 10 days from the day you receive a copy of your contract to cancel for any reason.
5 things to consider in the first 10 days of your fitness membership
If you’ve already started wondering how dedicated you are to your 2026 fitness regime, here are some things for you to consider within the first 10 days of your contract…
How realistic are you being with your time?
For the first 10 days, make a tally of how often you use your membership. It’s easy to make lofty time commitments when you are excited about a new opportunity, but make sure you are realistic about how often you will be able to go/attend and break down if the costs are worth it. Setting honest and realistic goals is important to achieve what you set out to do and, in this case, is good for your wallet too.
Have you factored in all the little extra costs?
Whether it’s workout wear, a yoga mat, exercise gear, or parking costs, it can add up! it’s important to consider these expenses and factor them into your budget when you make a commitment to a fitness membership.
Is this a “now” commitment or a year-long (or longer) commitment?
If you think that your love for yoga might be a fleeting romance, you may want to rethink a year-long membership. If you’re the kind of person who jumps from one fitness obsession to the next, you may be better off with short-term fitness commitments. You know yourself best, so make the right decision for you.
Do you foresee any changes that could affect your ability to commit?
Consider the year ahead and make an informed decision. Are you getting surgery on your knee later in the year? Are you planning a move that might take you further from the gym than you’re willing to commute? Is your favourite yoga instructor switching studios soon? Life happens and things change unexpectedly, but if you can foresee some changes down the road then you’re ahead of the game.
Are there other options for fitness that better suit your lifestyle?
If you think you might have a hard time committing to a full year, some places offer discounted 10 class passes, short-term memberships, and cheaper unlimited access for the first month (for first time users). Shorter commitments also allow more flexibility with your workouts. For instance, if you prefer to exercise outdoors in the summer months, you’re not tied to a year-long membership that you’re not using.
Oh boy, I think I’ve made a mistake…
If you’ve decided that you want to cancel your membership, then print off and complete our cancellation form and send it directly to the business in a way that allows you to get proof of delivery (such as email). Keep copies for your records and follow up with the business to confirm.
The law gives the business 15 days to respond.
Where to go for help
We enforce certain rules for fitness contracts in BC, including your cancellation rights. For more information, visit our page on cancelling gym memberships. If you run into any problems cancelling your membership and getting a refund, submit a complaint to us directly.
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If you have a gym membership, check out this blog post
Charlotte’s story: yoga studio inflexible when it comes to refund
About Consumer Protection BC
We are not-for-profit regulator responsible for overseeing certain industries and specific consumer transactions in British Columbia. If your concern is captured under the laws we enforce, we will use the tools at our disposal to assist you. If we can’t help you directly, we will try to offer a referral to a relevant organization, if one exists. Other times, court or legal assistance may be the best option. Explore our website at www.consumerprotectionbc.ca.
What I do if the gym owner is pushing me to pay upfront $100 dollars for the year gym membership ?
Hi Tony, thank you for your question. The laws we are responsible for overseeing do not speak to what gym/fitness businesses are allowed to charge consumers for. It is my understanding that they can make the decision as to what they want to charge consumers for for their services. Our laws speak mostly to your cancellation rights when it comes to fitness memberships. If you are unhappy with the $100 dollar charge and it is within the first 10 days of your contract you are within your rights to cancel the contract. There are also other circumstances where you can cancel and we have more information on our website about that here: https://www.consumerprotectionbc.ca/consumer-help/cancelling-a-gym-membership/. I hope this helps and best of luck.
hi i have a question. I sent the cancellation form for my gym manager and was waiting for 15 days till i hear from them but instead they sent me a collection letter.I handed my physiotherapist letter that i cant exercise any more , and beside that i don’t want any refund but a confirmation. and also they have contacted my physiotherapist and threaten her that we will take you to court ..
is what they do legal? should fill out a complain?
thank you so much
Hi Sanaz, thanks for reaching out to us. I would suggest filling out a complaint form and then we get some more information from you about the issue. Alternatively, you can contact our inquiry centre by phone at 1.888.564.9963. Thanks!
Joined a gym $60.00 sign up fee and $15.00 a month, 1 week later they have a special of .25 cents sign up fee and $10.00 a month no commitments. Is there anything I can do to get the better deal?
Hi Anja! Unfortunately, our law does not specifically cover this kind of situation and you may have to talk to the manager and see if they can do anything about it. If you are still within the first 10 days of your membership, you can always cancel the contract though. This page on our website has a form you can use – so take a look at the content under “I just signed up. Can I cancel?” for more info. I hope this information helps!
Hello, I paid for a set number of fitness classes upfront at a gym that expire within a certain amount of time. I am now in my last few months of pregnancy and my doctor has restricted my exercise, but the gym is refusing to freeze the clock on these classes and let me complete them after I have the baby (or alternatively refund me). I never signed or received an agreement when these classes were paid for in advance. Are these still classified as personal development services under the consumer protection act, meaning that i have the right to cancel if a change in circumstance or if not provided a written agreement?
Hi Mackenzie, thanks for reaching out to us here. The laws around continuing services contracts do not apply to pre-purchased fitness classes. These classes are allowed to expire. So in this situation, if you can’t work it out with the gym, then you likely will lose the classes that you’re unable to participate in. I know this wasn’t the answer you were looking for, but I hope it’s helpful to you!
Hello,
I submitted a request to cancel my gym membership within 10 days. So now they told me they have cancelled the membership but i see a 75$ cancellation charge. Do I have to pay that?
And will I get my refund that I paid for signing up with them?
Hi Rashmeet, thank you for contacting us. You should be able to cancel your gym membership within the first 10 days of signing a contract, without any reasons or cancellation fees. We would like to take a look at the original contract you signed, and see why this gym is charging a cancellation fee. Can you please submit a formal complaint to our office? You can do so on our website on this page. Please also include as many details as possible including how you cancelled (in writing or verbally).
hey,
I have tried attaching my contract in the space provided but it doesnt allow me. Is there any email where i can provide the contract?
Hi Rashmeet, thank you for letting us know about that. You can send it to info@consumerprotectionbc.ca and just mention your full name so we can match it up with the complaint form. Thank you!