The review of Sport Canada's Targeted Excellence Approach focused on the degree to which the objectives related to targeted investments in Olympic and Paralympic sport have been met
OTTAWA, June 22, 2017 /CNW/ - In order to be the best, athletes and coaches must constantly review and adjust how they compete based on their training and performance results. Over the past year, Sport Canada has done the same to ensure that the investments Canadians make in high-performance sport allow Olympic and Paralympic athletes to push for the podium.
Today, Sport Canada published the findings of the review of its targeted excellence approach. The findings provide insight on Canada's high-performance sport system that will help align and improve Targeted Excellence, by focusing on longer-term sustainable technical and financial support and the development of high-performance sport in Canada.
Canada needs to sustain the development of high-performance sport systems for all Olympic and Paralympic sports, not only for those that are targeted to win medals at Games. Winning medals for Canada will always be important, but it cannot be the only measure of success.
As a result, we will work with our sport partners to establish key indicators that demonstrate that we are advancing the high-performance sport system for all Olympic and Paralympic Sports, including improvements in coaching, sport science, and research and development.
We will continue working with our sport partners on addressing these and other issues raised in the review and framing next steps.
As the single largest investor in this country's sport system, the Government of Canada will continue to support our sport organizations and athletes to ensure that Canada remains a leading sport nation.
Quotes
"As a Paralympian who had the honour of representing Canada, I know first-hand the importance of supporting our country's high-performance athletes. We can all share in the pride of their success at Olympic and Paralympic Games, and we want to ensure that these performances are sustained while still guaranteeing the effective management of public funds by aligning priorities and programs within Canada's world-class sport system."
—The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities
"We congratulate Minister Qualtrough and the Government of Canada for their leadership in initiating this important review for Canada's Targeted Excellence Approach. Own the Podium is very pleased with the results, which strongly indicate the medal-targeted strategy launched in 2005 to advance Canada's high-performance agenda has produced impressive results," said John Furlong, Chair, Own the Podium. "The review points to opportunities for further enhancement to the system – a finding we applaud. This review will help guide our approach going forward to achieve our goal of helping more Canadian athletes climb onto the podium at the Olympic and Paralympic Games."
— John Furlong, Chair, Own the Podium
"From our perspective as the largest private sector funder of sport in this country, Sport Canada's review has been diligent and timely. The report reflects on what is needed to allow our athletes to continue to shine on the world stage; something Canadians have shown us they truly care about. We look forward to working with Minister Qualtrough on addressing the identified needs within a national strategy for high-performance sport."
—Tricia Smith, President, Canadian Olympic Committee
"We applaud the strong leadership of Minister Qualtrough for her continued efforts towards enhancing and aligning the Canadian sport system. We look forward to the next steps following this launch to continue the dialogue with the sport community and move forward with a united goal of becoming a world-leading sport nation."
—Marc-André Fabien, President, Canadian Paralympic Committee
Quick Facts
Over 1,400 Canadians provided direct input into the review process, including 804 through direct invitations to Canada's sport community and 605 through an open forum.
Goss Gilroy Inc. (GGI) was contracted to obtain input and feedback from athletes, coaches, sport partners and stakeholders across Canada through interviews and surveys. GGI also completed a document and literary review, as well as a review of Sport Canada's own database.
The Government of Canada, through Sport Canada, provides $64 million annually to Targeted Excellence based on research initiatives and recommendations from Own the Podium, as part of the almost $200 million annual investment into Canada's sport system overall.
Own the Podium is a not-for-profit organization that plays a critical role in supporting Canada's overall approach to Targeted Excellence.
Backgrounder
Review of Sport Canada's Targeted Excellence Approach
In order to be the best, athletes and coaches must constantly review and adjust how they train and compete. Over the past year, Sport Canada did the same to ensure that the investments Canadians make in high performance sport allow these athletes in Olympic and Paralympic sport to push for the podium.
In July 2016, after an open bidding process, Sport Canada hired an external contractor, Goss Gilroy Inc., to conduct a review of Sport Canada's approach to Targeted Excellence funding for Olympic and Paralympic sport.
Objectives
The objectives of the review were to:
- Evaluate if the Targeted Excellence approach has achieved – or is likely to achieve – Sport Canada's Targeted Excellence outcomes;
- Assess the intended and unintended impacts of the Targeted Excellence approach and its effects on the Canadian sport system; and
- Provide data, findings and observations that would inform Sport Canada's approach to supporting excellence.
Methodology
The review was based on multiple sources of information and evidence, including:
- Document and literature reviews of:
- Overall Sport Canada funding;
- International sport reports;
- Targeted Excellence funding; and
- Olympic and Paralympic medal results.
- Key informant interviews with 80 representatives from sport partners, including:
- Provincial/Territorial governments;
- National Sport organizations;
- Athletes;
- Coaches;
- Academics;
- The Aboriginal Sport Community;
- Media; and
- Private sector.
- Surveys targeting:
- Currently carded and retired athletes (489 athletes responded - 397 from currently carded athletes and 92 from retired athletes);
- Presidents and Chief Executive Officers, Olympic and Paralympic High Performance Directors/Leads in funded National Sport Organizations and coaches of carded athletes (184 Olympic responses, including 138 coaches and 51 Paralympic responses of which 32 were from coaches); and
- The broader community of those wishing to have their say (605 completed surveys).
Key findings
The conclusions in the report identify seven key findings:
- Targeted Excellence funding has helped to achieve podium results in an increasingly competitive field; however, there was no strong consensus on the efficacy of the Targeted Excellence approach.
- The Targeted Excellence approach has had a positive impact on targeted athletes and sports, but non targeted sports and athletes are feeling left behind.
- It is getting more expensive to achieve international success.
- There is strong support in the high performance sport community for the Targeted Excellence approach and for Own The Podium as an independent technical agency.
- There is strong support for high performance system development through a longer-term focus.
- There is strong consensus about the need to focus on the next generation of athletes.
- Despite the success and support for the Targeted Excellence approach, approximately half of respondents feel that we should reconsider the current approach.
Priorities and next steps
Our attention now turns to what needs to be done to address some of the issues that have surfaced in the findings of the review. Sport Canada has been focused on working with key sport partners to frame the next steps. The following four priorities and next steps have been identified.
Priority 1: There is a need for balance between a targeted approach and sport development within the high performance system.
Canada needs to support the development of the high performance sport systems for all Olympic and Paralympic sports, not just for those that are targeted to win medals at Games. Winning medals for Canada will always be important, but it can't be the only measure of success. Different indicators would include systematic improvements in areas such as coaching, quality daily training environment, sport science and sport medicine.
As a result, we will work with high performance partners to establish the key indicators supported by our sport partners that demonstrate that we are advancing the high performance sport system, for all Olympic and Paralympic Sports.
Priority 2: High Performance System Sustainability
Canada needs to build and support sport-specific technical expertise within national sport organizations for all Olympic and Paralympic sports. Sport Canada will continue working with Own The Podium, the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Canadian Paralympic Committee and other key sport partners to see how we can move forward with all Olympic and Paralympic sports to help develop technical expertise.
In order to provide national sport organizations with more financial stability, we will work with high performance partners to look at opportunities to provide multi-year funding to national sport organizations when appropriate.
For a high performance athlete to succeed, we need to ensure that they receive the support services required. Sport Canada will work to ensure that the Canadian Sport Centers and Institutes are sustainable and in a position to provide consistent services to all carded athletes.
Priority 3: High Performance Sport System Alignment
The existing high performance sport system is complex and involves many players. The report identifies the need to clarify the respective roles and responsibilities of the various partners. Therefore, we will be working toward clarifying the roles and responsibilities of our high performance sport partners. In order to do this, we need to first ensure that we are all working towards a tangible common vision. As a result, we will be working with partners to develop a national high performance sport strategy.
Sport Canada will also review the Sport Funding and Accountability Framework models to better reflect and align its programs with a sustainable high performance sport system.
Priority 4: Process Issues and Inefficiencies
The report highlighted the need to address inefficiencies and other issues within the current approach. As a result, we will be working with high performance partners to review the overall funding application, review, approval, and monitoring process. Specifically, some of the areas that will be examined include: ways of improving existing application processes; support to sports on a multi-year basis; whether existing funding envelopes are aligned; and the perceived conflicting position that Own the Podium finds itself in as both a technical agency and funding recommender.
As we continue to work on addressing these improvements, we will be working closely with the key funding partners in our high performance sport system, notably the Canadian Olympic Committee and the Canadian Paralympic Committees, as well as other key partners. These improvements will ensure that we have a more sustainable Canadian High Performance Sport System while ensuring that targeted support is provided to our nation's best athletes and coaches.
Sport Canada wishes to thank the sport community for the time invested to provide feedback so that the Government of Canada can continue to refine its approach to achieve international success and a sustainable sport system.
The full and accessible version of this report can be found on the Government of Canada's Website.
Associated Links
| Sport Canada Targeted Excellence Review |
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| Full Report - Open Government |
http://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/2e9a24f2-d285-4717-9a2b-42abb5c9306a |
| Sport Canada |
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| Own the Podium |
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| Canadian Olympic Committee |
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| Canadian Paralympic Committee |
SOURCE Canadian Heritage
(media only), please contact: Ashley Michnowski, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities, 613-697-8016, [email protected]; Media Relations, Canadian Heritage, 819-994-9101, 1-866-569-6155, [email protected]
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