More than 60 national sports organizations will share the new funding, as part of the federal push to increase access and deliver sport programming to Canadians, Secretary of State for Sport says
Ottawa is sending $60 million additional federal funding to more than 60 national sports organizations, as part of a $755-million package announced in the spring.
“We’re maintaining the momentum,” Secretary of State for Sport Adam van Koeverden said at a press conference on Thursday. “This investment will increase access and deliver more sport programming to all Canadians,” he said.
This is the first major payout since the Future of Sport in Canada Commission found in March that the country’s sport system was chronically underfunded and failing to keep athletes safe.
Asked how the funding addresses safety, van Koeverden said protecting athletes is a pillar and a priority for every national sport organization at every level of sport.
“There is not a boutique program for safe sport,” he said.
The commission’s final report made 98 calls to action, including a mandatory national registry of people sanctioned for misconduct, a fully independent complaints body and an outside monitor to track Ottawa’s progress.
The organizations set to receive the largest boosts in funding include Canoe Kayak Canada ($2.4 million), Canada Basketball ($2.3 million) and the Canadian Rugby Union ($2.8 million). Some of the money, like the $2.77 million for Alpine Canada, has already been announced.
When asked whether Hockey Canada’s funding comes with independent audits or other safeguards, given the organization’s past governance controversies, van Koeverden said that work “has been done.”
“Those national sport organizations that were under the microscope with good reason a couple of years ago have all made very, very good progress,” he said.
“Some of them went through an audit, some of them went through a different process.”
The $60 million this year comes through amendments to organizations’ existing funding agreements, without changes to the formula that divides the money among sports.
“It’s a year of transition into the new era of sport,” he said.
Van Koeverden will host a summit with sport, business and philanthropic leaders in Ottawa from Nov, 9-10.
With file from the Canadian Press