The Government of Canada supported athletes and their competitive events all summer
GATINEAU, QC, Sept. 6, 2017 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is proud to have supported our athletes as they prepared for a Canada 150 summer schedule filled with events across the country. Every week brought a new sporting competition where Canadian athletes faced their opponents and challenged themselves to excel and reach for the podium. Through our funding programs, we ensured that they had the training, equipment and coaching needed to reach success.
Today, the Honourable Kent Hehr, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities, highlighted Sport Canada's investments in the Canadian sports system over the summer, emphasizing that sport has the power to improve lives and strengthen communities.
Enhanced excellence
Sport Canada contributed over $34 million this summer in enhanced excellence funding to 22 targeted Olympic and Paralympic summer sports. Each year, about $64 million is provided through Sport Canada as enhanced excellence funding for targeted Summer and Winter Olympic and Paralympic sports and athletes with podium potential.
Hosting the world
Canadians hosted a number of international single sport events right in their backyards this summer from coast to coast to coast. Most of these events received support from Sport Canada through the Hosting Program, which helps communities host world-class international sport events. For example, the Men's U23 World Wheelchair Basketball Championship in Toronto, the Tour de Beauce (Cycling) near Québec City, the 2017 World Triathlon Series in Edmonton, the CP Women's Open Golf Championship in Ottawa and the Aileen Meagher International Track Classic in Halifax all received support from Sport Canada.
That means athletes aspiring to be the best had the opportunity to compete against Olympians and Paralympians from around the world, while the events themselves delivered economic, social and cultural benefits to our communities.
From April to August, Sport Canada contributed over $2.8 million to 38 international sport events in Canada through the Hosting Program.
National pride
Multisport events in Toronto and Winnipeg inspired the country this summer while providing young athletes with important competition experience.
The Toronto 2017 North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) took over legacy sport venues built for the Toronto 2015 Pan and Parapan American Games in Canada's largest metropolitan region—a hub of world-class venues, passionate sport organizations and rich cultural diversity—to provide Indigenous athletes with an unforgettable experience. Sport Canada provided $3.5 million to the Toronto 2017 NAIG and also provided up to $1 million to cover team travel costs to ensure athletes from across Canada were among the 5,000 participants. The Canada 150 Fund also supported the event, providing a contribution to the Games' Birch Bark Art and Canoe Project.
The 2017 Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg received $10.35 million from Sport Canada to improve recreational infrastructure, provide future Olympians and Paralympians with important competition experience, and showcase our commitment to support our athletes from playground to podium. In addition, the Canada Games Council received over $6 million in funding from Sport Canada for team transportation costs so that our best athletes and coaches could take part. The Canada 150 Fund also supported the 2017 Canada Summer Games through a $1.5 million contribution for the opening and closing ceremonies.
Supporting the next generation of athletes
Sport Canada also made an important funding announcement this summer for Canada's next generation of high-performance athletes. Working with the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) and their respective foundations, a total of up to $10 million in ongoing, annual funding—$5 million from the Government of Canada, $4 million from the COC and $1 million from the CPC—will help develop the next cohort of Canada's Olympic and Paralympic medallists.
Sport Canada is the single largest investor in Canada's sport system, providing approximately $200 million annually to promote sport participation among all Canadians and provide support for athletes, their national and multisport organizations, the sport centres and institutes that train them and the hosting of events so that they can compete with the best. Of course, the achievements and accomplishments of this summer would not have happened were it not for Canada's top-notch sport system and the knowledge and dedication of our incredible partners.
Quotes
"Our Government is committed to providing athletes with the opportunity to reach the podium. Whether they are in infrastructure, competitions, governing bodies or athletes, our investments have important impact on the lives of Canadians in their communities. This summer, we saw first-hand how passionate and dedicated Canada's athletes are about sport, and I commend the coaches, officials, and organizers who made this summer a glowing success for our athletes at home and abroad."
—The Honourable Kent Hehr, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities
"Over the summer, Canada's athletes displayed their skill, courage and perseverance in their pursuit of excellence. On behalf of the Government of Canada, I would like to congratulate them on their accomplishments and thank all the event organizers for delivering world-class events to our communities during this exciting Canada 150 year. These events continue to be a source of pride for all Canadians, and have no doubt inspired our next generation of Olympians and Paralympians."
—The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage
Quick Facts
Enhanced excellence: Close to $70 million is invested annually from government and non-government sources in winter and summer Olympic and Paralympic sports.
Hosting the world: Every year, the Government of Canada invests approximately $12 million in international single sport events to provide important international experience to our athletes while showcasing Canada as a leader in the hosting of sport competitions.
National pride: The Government of Canada's Budget 2017 has committed to providing commitment to provide $18.9 million over five years, and ongoing funding of $5.5 million every four years thereafter, to support Indigenous youth through sport.
Associated Links
Sport Canada canada.ca/sport
Backgrounder
Enhanced excellence
Our most talented athletes require highly specialized coaching, facilities, athlete services and direct financial support to perform at the highest levels of competition.
For effective delivery of high-performance sport, fundamental elements are necessary, including:
- coaching and technical leadership;
- daily access to high-quality training environment and facilities;
- opportunities to compete against international athletes;
- financial support;
- research and innovation in training methods and equipment design;
- development of qualified and ethical officials; and
- athlete recruitment and talent development
The Government of Canada, through collaboration with high performance partners such as Own the Podium, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC), support Canada's National Sport Organizations (NSO) in their goal to increase medal counts by Canadian athletes at Olympic and Paralympic Summer and Winter Games, and to help Canadian Sport Centres provide sport science and medicine services to NSOs.
The following table outlines Sport Canada's enhanced excellence contributions for this year's summer sports:
| National Sport Organization |
Enhanced |
Enhanced |
Total |
| Athletics |
$2,778,699 |
$1,150,000 |
$3,928,699 |
| Basketball (Team Sport – M & W) |
$1,890,235 |
$1,177,004 |
$3,067,239 |
| Boccia |
- |
$247,000 |
$247,000 |
| Boxing |
$101,000 |
- |
$101,000 |
| Canoe |
$1,492,450 |
$150,000 |
$1,642,450 |
| Cycling |
$3,332,096 |
$814,000 |
$4,146,096 |
| Diving |
$2,397,000 |
- |
$2,397,000 |
| Equestrian |
$300,000 |
300,000 |
$600,000 |
| Fencing |
$105,000 |
- |
$105,000 |
| Field Hockey (Team Sport - M) |
$400,000 |
- |
$400,000 |
| Gymnastics |
$336,500 |
- |
$336,500 |
| Judo |
$797,000 |
- |
$797,000 |
| Rowing |
$3,092,000 |
$150,000 |
$3,242,000 |
| Rugby (W) |
$1,421,000 |
- |
$1,421,000 |
| Soccer |
$2,082,714 |
- |
$2,082,714 |
| Softball |
$580,000 |
- |
$580,000 |
| Swimming |
$3,695,000 |
$1,156,000 |
$4,851,000 |
| Triathlon |
$129,000 |
$129,000 |
|
| Volleyball (Team Sport – M & W) |
$1,125,000 |
- |
$1,125,000 |
| Water Polo (Team Sport - M & W) |
$854,925 |
- |
$854,925 |
| Wrestling |
$1,082,500 |
- |
$1,082,500 |
| Wheelchair Rugby |
- |
$889,900 |
$889,900 |
| TOTAL |
$27,863,119 |
$6,162,904 |
$34,026,023 |
Hosting
The Hosting Program assists sport organizations in hosting the Canada Games and international sport events in Canada. The Program contributes to sport excellence and enhances the international profile of sport organizations in Canada. It also delivers economic, social and cultural benefits to Canadian communities.
The Hosting Program is delivered through four components:
- Canada Games
- This component provides contributions to Host Societies that are duly incorporated for the staging of the Canada Games, such as this summer's 2017 Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg.
- International Major Multisport Games
- This component is focused on large, multisport games such as the Summer and Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Commonwealth Games and the Pan and Parapan American Games.
- International Single Sport Events
- This component assists sport organizations to host international single sport events in Canada. It aims to enhance high-performance sport development and the international profile of Canadian sport organizations.
| Sport |
Event |
Amount |
| Athletics |
2017 Boiling Point International |
$50,000 |
| Athletics |
2017 IAAF Capital Combined Events Cup |
$49,000 |
| Athletics |
Aileen Meagher International Track Classic |
$50,000 |
| Athletics |
Speed River Inferno Track and Field Festival |
$47,000 |
| Athletics |
Vancouver Sun Harry Jerome Track Classic |
$50,000 |
| Badminton |
2017 Yonex Canada Open |
$50,000 |
| Basketball |
2017 Men's U23 World Wheelchair Basketball Championship |
$245,000 |
| Cycling |
Coupe du monde UCI de vélo de montagne |
$100,000 |
| Cycling |
Grand Prix Cycliste de Saguenay |
$50,000 |
| Cycling |
Grand Prix Cycliste Gatineau |
$50,000 |
| Cycling |
Toronto BMX Canada Cup |
$26,000 |
| Cycling |
Tour de Beauce |
$50,000 |
| Cycling |
White Spot/Delta Road Race |
$50,000 |
| Défi Sportif |
Défi sportif AlterGo 2017 |
$100,000 |
| Diving |
2017 Canada Cup - FINA Diving Grand Prix |
$50,000 |
| Diving |
2017 FINA/NVC Diving World Series |
$175,000 |
| Equine |
2017 CCI Bromont Three Day Event |
$50,000 |
| Fencing |
2017 Pan American Fencing Championships |
$50,000 |
| Field Hockey |
FIH Hockey World League - Round 2 (Women) |
$50,000 |
| Golf |
Canadian Pacific Women's Open Golf Championship |
$75,000 |
| Golf |
RBC Canadian Open Golf Championship |
$75,000 |
| Gymnastics |
2017 Canada Cup |
$50,000 |
| Rowing |
CanAmMex Regatta |
$50,000 |
| Rugby |
HSBC Canada Women's Sevens Victoria/Langford |
$245,000 |
| Sail |
CORK International and Olympic Classes Regatta |
$47,600 |
| Sail |
The 2017 49er & 49erFX Junior World Championships |
$45,000 |
| Softball |
2017 Canada Cup International Softball Championship |
$50,000 |
| Swimming |
FINA/HOSA 10 km Marathon Swimming World Cup (Open Water) - Lac-Mégantic |
$50,000 |
| Swimming |
FINA/HOSA 10 km Marathon Swimming World Cup (Open Water) - Lac-St-Jean |
$50,000 |
| Synchro Swimming |
2017 Canadian Open Synchronized Swimming Championships |
$50,000 |
| Tennis |
Internationaux de tennis junior Banque Nationale du Canada |
$35,000 |
| Triathlon |
2017 ITU World Triathlon Series - Montreal |
$150,000 |
| Triathlon |
2017 World Triathlon Series - Edmonton |
$150,000 |
| Triathlon |
Ottawa International Triathlon and CAMTRI Continental Cup |
$20,000 |
| Volleyball |
FIVB Volleyball Women's Grand Prix |
$150,000 |
| Volleyball |
Senior Men's Pan-Am Cup |
$100,000 |
| Volleyball |
U21 Men's Pan-Am Cup |
$100,000 |
| Wrestling |
Canada Cup of International Wrestling |
$35,000 |
| TOTAL |
$2,869,600 |
- International Multisport Games for Aboriginal Peoples and Persons with Disabilities
- This component provides competitive opportunities for designated, under-represented groups in Canada which face systemic barriers to sport participation. The Toronto 2017 North American Indigenous Games received a contribution from this component of the Hosting Program.
Next Generation
A total of up to $10 million in ongoing, annual funding—$5 million from the Government of Canada, $4 million from the COC and $1 million from the CPC—will support Olympic and Paralympic athletes who have demonstrated medal potential for the subsequent Olympic or Paralympic Games.
National sport organizations will put forth submissions to obtain funding for athletes with evidence of medal potential.
Own the Podium is the technical agency providing assessments of NSOs' submissions to the initiative and will make funding recommendations to Sport Canada, the COC and the CPC.
Sport Canada, the COC and the CPC review Own the Podium's recommendations and determine the successful selected national sport organizations and their respective funding amounts.
This initiative is designed to complement the current investments in the sport system and address the gaps between the services received by targeted athletes (who have demonstrated medal potential for the upcoming Olympic or Paralympic Games) and next-generation athletes (who have demonstrated medal potential for the subsequent Olympic or Paralympic Games).
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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