Investments will help the organization host its multi-city Canadian Summit and improve safe sport practices.
GATINEAU, QC, Feb. 8, 2023 /CNW/ - Sport and physical activity play key roles in building dynamic and healthy communities. Sport improves self-esteem and leadership skills and allows young people to develop physically, emotionally and socially.
Today, the Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, announced $500,000 in support for the Sport for Life Society for 2022–23, in addition to $280,000 in recovery funding.
The investment, made through the Recovery Fund for Arts, Culture, Heritage and Sport Sectors, will complement current investments in the Sport for Life Society. The funding includes as much as $100,000 to support a multi-city Canadian Summit that will bring together leaders who are working to enhance the quality of sport and physical activity in Canada.
In addition, Sport for Life Society will receive as much as $190,000 in Innovation Initiative funding to test a fan experience model. This is aimed at reducing cultural and social barriers to sport participation among newcomers, a lack of information on how to become involved in organized sport, and a lack of social connection to the community.
As the largest investor in Canada's sport system, the Government of Canada is proud of its support for Canadian athletes, the national and multisport organizations that support them, efforts to create a safer and more inclusive sport environment as well as initiatives to host international sporting events.
"Our government is proud to support Sport for Life in its efforts in improving the quality of sport and physical activity in Canada and making sport safer. Our funding gives this organization the tools to build a safer, more collaborative sport system and offers Sport for Life better means to support innovative practices that address social barriers to sport participation. All Canadians benefit from a sport system that is safe and welcoming to everyone."
—The Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
"We appreciate the support and the longstanding relationship that we have with Sport Canada. We continue to work to be a catalyst for change in the Canadian sport system, striving to improve the quality and enhance participation while ensuring safe, inclusive spaces for everyone. This investment allows us to increase the scope of our work and will affect a broad range of sport organizations from community clubs to national sport organizations."
—Richard Way, Chief Executive Officer, Sport for Life
The Sport for Life Society aims to create partnerships between the sport, education, recreation and health sectors to improve the quality of sport and physical activity in Canada.
A portion of this Sport for Life investment is from the Recovery Fund for Arts, Culture, Heritage and Sport Sectors, which leveraged existing programs to provide $300 million over two years to organizations recovering from the impacts of the pandemic.
The Innovation Initiative provides funding to test new ways of working in sport, in order to improve sport participation experiences for Canadians. The goal is to develop evidence-based solutions that can be shared nationwide.
To be eligible for funding, all sport organizations must have a policy on harassment, abuse and discrimination and must offer mandatory training on those issues. They must also provide access to an in independent third-party to receive and manage complaints. It will gradually become mandatory for federally funded organizations to use the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner as their independent third-party mechanism.
The Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner is responsible for administering the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport using trauma-informed processes that are compassionate, efficient, fair, respectful and equitable to all parties.
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SOURCE Canadian Heritage
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(media only), please contact: Ariane Joazard-Bélizaire, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, [email protected]; Media Relations, Canadian Heritage, 1-819-994-9101, 1-866-569-6155, [email protected]
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