More than $200,000 invested in sports equipment for athletes with a disability

Canadian Paralympic Committee, Petro-Canada and Sport Canada Announce Recipients of Para-Equipment Fund

OTTAWA, Jan. 9, 2012 /CNW/ - The Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2011-12 Para-Equipment Fund, presented by Petro-Canada, a Suncor Energy business, and supported by Sport Canada and the CPC.

The Para-Equipment Fund delivers grants of up to $5,000 to national sport organizations and provincial and local-level clubs to purchase adapted equipment - for sports such as wheelchair basketball, sledge hockey or sit-skiing, for example - to enable people with a disability to participate in sport.

In all, 33 sports organizations across the country, representing 21 different sports among them, have received a total of $116,670.

Grants are awarded to cover 50 per cent of the total cost of the equipment. The applicant is responsible for covering the other 50 per cent of the equipment costs, bringing this year's total equipment investment to $233,340.

"We recognize that while it is important to support the Canadian Paralympic Team competing on the world stage, it is also vital to support introductory efforts to help more Canadians with a disability get active in the first place," said Steven Keith of Petro-Canada, a long-time partner of the Canadian Paralympic Committee and presenting sponsor of the Para-Equipment Fund.

"Access to adapted equipment can sometimes be a barrier for people with a disability trying sports for the first time. We're extremely proud to support this grassroots initiative and to help organizations make it easier for all Canadians to have the opportunity to participate."

The complete list of 2011-12 Para-Equipment Fund recipients appears at the end of this release and is downloadable here: paralympic.ca/images/Excel_list_PEF_recipients.xlsx

The next round of applications for the Para-Equipment Fund will be accepted starting January 25, 2012. (Applications for the Recruitment Programs Fund, which helps organizations provide positive introductory sport experiences for people with a disability, will also open Jan. 25.)

Please visit www.paralympic.ca/funding for more information.

"On behalf of the Canadian Paralympic Committee, I'd like to congratulate all the recipients of the Para-Equipment Fund," said Henry Storgaard, President of the Canadian Paralympic Committee. "It's very exciting to see the increase in the availability of adapted sports equipment, ensuring that more people with a disability can enjoy the benefits of sport. Thank you, Petro-Canada, for supporting this essential program."

About the Para-Equipment Fund (PEF)

The Para-Equipment Fund was launched in 2005 by the Canadian Paralympic Commitee with the help of the federal government and Petro-Canada, a Suncor Energy business. Grants are awarded to cover 50 per cent of the total cost of the equipment up to a maximum of $5,000. The applicant is responsible for covering the other 50 per cent of the equipment costs. In 2011-2012, the Fund awarded a total of $116,670 in grants for both summer and winter sports, bringing the total equipment investment to $233,340.

About Suncor Energy, proud owner of Petro-Canada

Suncor Energy Inc. is Canada's premier integrated energy company. Suncor's operations include oil sands development and upgrading, conventional and offshore oil and gas production, petroleum refining, and product marketing under the Petro-Canada brand. While working to responsibly develop petroleum resources, Suncor is also developing a growing renewable energy portfolio. Suncor's common shares (symbol: SU) are listed on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges. For more information about Suncor Energy Inc., please visit www.suncor.com.

About the Canadian Paralympic Committee

The Canadian Paralympic Committee is a non-profit, private organization with 46 member sports organizations dedicated to strengthening the Paralympic movement. The Canadian Paralympic Committee's vision is to be the world's leading Paralympic nation. Its mission is to lead the development of a sustainable Paralympic sport system in Canada to enable athletes to reach the podium at the Paralympic Games. By supporting Canadian Paralympic athletes and promoting their success, the Canadian Paralympic Committee inspires all Canadians with a disability to get involved in sport through programs delivered by its member organizations. For more information, visit www.paralympic.ca.

2011-12 Para-Equipment Fund Recipients

Organization Name	Sport(s)	City	Province
Association québécoise de sports pour paralytiques cérébraux	Boccia	Montreal	Quebec
Tbo Tbon	Wheelchair rugby	Montreal	Quebec
Athletics NB	Para-athletics	Dieppe	New Brunswick
Canadian Association for Disabled Skiing - National Capital Division	Para-alpine, skiing and snowboarding	Ottawa	Ontario
Canoe Kayak Saskatchewan	Canoe/kayak	Regina	Saskatchewan
Cowichan Therapeutic Riding Association	Para-equestrian	Duncan	British Columbia
Disabled Skiiers Association of BC	Para-alpine skiing	Richmond	British Columbia
Manitoba Wheelchair Sports Association	Wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby	Winnipeg	Manitoba
National Cycling Centre-Canadian Sport Centre Calgary	Para-cycling	Calgary	Alberta
NB Quad Rugby	Wheelchair rugby	Riverview	New Brunswick
Ottawa Stingers Wheelchair Rugby Club	Wheelchair rugby	Ottawa	Ontario
Pacific Volleyball	Sitting volleyball	Richmond	British Columbia
Revelstoke Nordic Club	Para-Nordic skiing	Revelstoke	British Columbia
SASKI Skiing for Disabled	Para-Nordic skiiing	Regina	Saskatchewan
Sledge Hockey of Eastern Ontario	Sledge hockey	Ottawa	Ontario
St. Catharines Rowing Club	Rowing	St. Catharines	Ontario
Variety Village	Wheelchair basketball	Toronto	Ontario
Association québécoise des sports en fauteuil roulant	Wheelchair basketball, sledge hockey, wheelchair rugby, wheelchair tennis	Montreal	Quebec
Hockey Luge Montreal	Sledge hockey	Montreal	Quebec
Adaptive Sports Foundation	Para-alpine skiing, canoe/kayak	Knowlton	Quebec
Balmy Beach Canoe Club	Canoe/kayak	Toronto	Ontario
BC Blind Sports and Recreation	Goalball	Vancouver	British Columbia
Canadian Association for Disabled Skiing - NS Division	Para-alpine skiing and snowboarding	Halifax	Nova Scotia
Calgary Wheelchair Rugby Association	Wheelchair rugby	Calgary	Alberta
City of Surrey	Sitting volleyball	Surrey	British Columbia
Cross Country Ski Association Manitoba	Para-Nordic skiing	Winnipeg	Manitoba
Cruisers Sports for the Physically Disabled	Wheelchair basketball, para-athletics, boccia	Mississauga	Ontario
London and District Wheelchair Sports	Wheelchair rugby	London	Ontario
Pilot Butte Sledge	Sledge hockey	Pilot Butte	Saskatchewan
Regina Ski Club	Para-alpine skiing	Regina	Saskatchewan
Rowing British Columbia	Rowing	Richmond	British Columbia
Tennis Canada	Wheelchair tennis	National	National
Toronto Wheelchair Rugby	Wheelchair rugby	Toronto	Ontario

Alison Korn
Manager, Media Relations
Canadian Paralympic Committee
Tel: [phone] ext. 243
Cell: 613-298-4927
[email protected]

Laura Ferris
Coordinator, Recruitment Program Support
Canadian Paralympic Committee
Tel: [phone] x233
[email protected]

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