The federal government has pledged more than $750 million toward sport in Canada in the wake of a federal commission that found a “widespread funding crisis” in a broken and often unsafe sport system.
The money was announced on Tuesday afternoon as part of the federal government’s spring economic update, which painted a rosier-than-expected picture of the country’s finances.
Much of the sports funding is earmarked to go directly to national sport organizations, which haven’t seen an increase to core funding in more than two decades.
That includes $660 million over five years and $110 million ongoing, with the money targeted at growing participation among children and youth and improving sporting organizations’ safe sport systems.
But the money also comes with a warning that national sport organizations are expected to do things differently and find new streams of revenue.
“We want national sport organizations to work with private sector partners who share the goal of getting more Canadians involved in sport,” the government’s economic update says. “And we expect national sport organizations to make changes to their programming to invest in sport at all levels.”
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That fits with the theme of the Future of Sport in Canada Commission’s final report, which was released last month with nearly 100 calls to action. The commission’s work spanned two years and was prompted by calls for a public inquiry into abuse and maltreatment in sport.
Its final document calls for sweeping change in Canadian sport, from the way sport is organized, structured and governed, all the way down to how it’s funded.
“A clear picture of a widespread funding crisis throughout the Canadian sport system clearly emerged during our work,” the commission’s final report says.
“Participants told us that federal funding has not kept pace with inflation, rising operational demands, or expanded governance and safe-sport responsibilities. They described a system where both sport organizations and athletes themselves are strained because the federal framework no longer reflects the true cost of delivering sport in Canada.”
The commission called for an increase in funding for sport organizations, along with a multi-year funding strategy and regular auditing.
“Providing appropriate support to federally funded sport organizations is essential to protect the safety of everyone involved in the sport system,” the report says.
It also called for some national sporting organizations to amalgamate or share resources, such as IT services, with each other, and to look for new forms of revenue such as sponsorships and corporate partnerships.
It envisioned a new Crown corporation that could streamline accountability for sport in Canada, and would be responsible for sport funding and safe sport.
Tuesday’s announcement also includes $45 million over five years for athletes, including “support for better mental health” and funding toward safe sport measures.
There’s also $50 million over five years specifically to “bring more world-class sporting events to Canada,” which includes money for major sport infrastructure projects.
“Funding will be tied to legacy-building projects that deliver lasting benefits well beyond the events themselves,” the economic update says. “Facilities built or upgraded for major events will continue to serve communities, support grassroots participation, and strengthen local sport systems for years to come.”
Days before the Future of Sport in Canada Commission released its final report in March, Prime Minister Mark Carney pledged to revamp funding for Canadian athletes over the next six months.
That comes after years of advocacy from the Canadian Olympic Committee, Canadian Paralympic Committee, national sport organizations and athletes about significant financial pressures within the country’s sporting system, which often trickle down to athletes.
Ahead of last year’s budget, they’d asked for a $144 million increase to national sport organizations to make up for years of stagnant core funding, warning that the system was on the brink of falling apart.
