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Chapter 3: Roles and responsibilities of institutional stakeholders in the sport system

Part I — The Canadian sport system

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There are many different stakeholders in the world of Canadian sport and physical activity. While they are all part of a “system,” it is frequently described as non-existent, fractured or fragmented. There are distinctions to recognize within the sport world, for example, between organized sport, whether amateur and professional, and between recreational sport and high-performance sport. The different roles, reporting lines, duplications and disconnects are evidence of a system that lacks consistency and connectivity.

In this chapter, we provide an overview of the key institutional stakeholders in the sport system. These stakeholders are generally divided into three main categories: governments, sport organizations and other stakeholders.

Governments

Sport is a fundamental aspect of Canadian culture, economy and identity. All levels of government play a role in supporting and promoting sport in Canada. This can include funding, supporting athletes and sport organizations, policy development, the provision of infrastructure and reporting on sport participation.

In the sections below, we provide an overview of the roles and responsibilities of the federal government, provincial and territorial governments, municipal governments and Indigenous governments.

Federal government

Canada is a federal state. One of the features of federalism is the distribution of legislative powers between two or more orders of government. The Canadian Constitution divides the legislative powers between the federal and the provincial legislatures. Each order of government is assigned respective spheres of jurisdiction by the Constitution Act, 1867.Footnote 1

Because sport is not an area of jurisdiction explicitly mentioned in the Constitution Act, 1867, each level of government has enacted legislation that reflects its constitutional authority.Footnote 2 Since sport and recreation are aspects of health, culture and education, the more general and direct responsibility for sport falls to provincial, territorial, municipal and local bodies.Footnote 3 Thus, provincial and territorial jurisdiction allows for the development and implementation of programs and regulatory standards of health, safety and integrity over sport.Footnote 4

As for the federal government, it may provide support for sport through the exercise of its spending power.Footnote 5 However, it is important that this does not interfere with matters under provincial jurisdiction.Footnote 6

Parliament may also enact federal legislation based on its residual authority to make “Laws for the Peace, Order, and good Government of Canada”Footnote 7 and on other enumerated federal heads of power.Footnote 8 More generally, whenever an issue is deemed to be of national or international interest, the federal government may claim jurisdiction.Footnote 9 Therefore, when it comes to sport, the federal government has a role in supporting participation in international competitions such as the Olympics and Paralympics, the Commonwealth and Arctic Winter Games, as matters of national presence and diplomacy.

Legislation

Over many years, the role of the federal government in sport has evolved and developed, partly through legislation. In 1961, the Fitness and Amateur Sport Act came into effect to encourage, promote and develop fitness and amateur sport.Footnote 10

Of note, in 1994, the National Sports of Canada Act formally declared hockey to be the national winter sport of Canada and lacrosse to be the national summer sport.Footnote 11 While recognizing the importance of these sports to Canadian society, this legislation did not include provisions to encourage funding of sport.

In 2003, the Physical Activity and Sport Act replaced the Fitness and Amateur Sport Act, expanding the government’s role in addressing physical activity, accessibility, and public health.Footnote 12 Last amended in 2017, the Physical Activity and Sport Act remains in effect today.

The policy objectives of the federal government regarding physical activity are:

The policy objectives regarding sport are:

Department of Canadian Heritage and Sport Canada

The minister responsible for sport has changed many times since the position was introduced in 1961, with the introduction of Fitness and Amateur Sport Act. Initially the Minister of Amateur Sport, reported to the Minister of National Health and Welfare. However, over the past sixty years, the ministerial title, reporting department and position in government have changed many times, sometimes incorporating both physical activity and sport in the title.Footnote 14

Since 1995, the Department of Canadian Heritage, and ultimately the minister responsible for the department, has jurisdiction related to “the encouragement, promotion and development of sport.”Footnote 15 This puts sport alongside matters related to Canadian identity and values, cultural development and heritage.Footnote 16

Typically, the Minister of Canadian Heritage is responsible for the Department of Canadian Heritage, including sport.Footnote 17 Following the 2025 Canadian general federal election, a Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages was appointed to oversee the Department of Canadian Heritage.Footnote 18 With regard to sport and physical activity, these responsibilities were divided between the Secretary of State (Sport) and the Minister of Health, respectively.Footnote 19

Within the Department of Canadian Heritage, the branch that is primarily responsible for sport is Sport Canada. Sport Canada’s role includes developing national sport policies, providing support (including funding to National Sport Organizations and national Multisport Service Organizations), and encouraging Canada’s participation in international sport events such as the Olympics, Paralympics, Pan American, Parapan American, Commonwealth Games, Arctic Winter Games and North American Indigenous Games.Footnote 20

In this Preliminary Report, the Commission has relied, when possible, on the most recent publicly available information found in the Public Accounts of Canada volumes when referring to funding provided by Sport Canada.

Sport-related policies

To meet the objectives of the Physical Activity and Sport Act, the federal government, through Sport Canada, has introduced a range of policies which establish benchmarks and measures to achieve them.Footnote 21

The Canadian Sport Policy, introduced in 2002 and renewed in 2012, is arguably the most foundational policy related to sport. It serves as a strategic framework for guiding the development and governance of sport in Canada. It was endorsed by federal, provincial, and territorial ministers.Footnote 22

The Canadian Sport Policy 2012 outlines five overarching goals for intergovernmental cooperation for the period of 2012-2022:

An updated policy was set to be released in February 2023, but was not.Footnote 24 At the time of writing this report, it is anticipated that a renewed policy will be revealed at the time of the 2025 Canada Games.

Other notable sport-related policies introduced by Sport Canada include:

Most recently, in November 2024, the federal government launched its Sport Integrity Framework which clarifies the role of the federal government and other key stakeholders in sport integrity issues, including maltreatment, doping, concussions, discrimination, and governance.Footnote 30

The Framework recognizes that maltreatment is unacceptable and incompatible with the core values of sport. It also provides information on the government’s response to promote safe sport environments. This includes requiring National Sport Organization, Multisport Service Organizations and Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Centres and Institutes to adopt the Canadian Safe Sport Program to receive funding.Footnote 31 As we describe in Chapter 16, the Canadian Safe Sport Program receives and manages allegations of maltreatment in sport at the national level.Footnote 32

The Framework also calls attention to the importance of good governance to protect the sport system.Footnote 33 As such, the Government of Canada commits to integrating good governance principles as a requirement for federally funded sport organizations, rather than requiring them to comply with the Canadian Sport Governance Code.Footnote 34 The Canadian Sport Governance Code will be discussed in further detail in Chapter 7.

Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada

The Public Health Agency of Canada falls under the responsibility of the Minister of Health, who is responsible for maintaining and improving the health of Canadians.Footnote 35 The mandate of the Public Health Agency of Canada is to promote health, prevent and control chronic diseases and injuries, prevent and control infectious diseases, and prepare for and respond to public health emergencies.Footnote 36

The Public Health Agency of Canada is committed to improving the physical activity levels of those living in Canada through various initiatives, including:

The Public Health Agency of Canada also supports safe sport in two key areas by addressing sport-related concussions,Footnote 38 and supporting mental health in sport.Footnote 39

Physical activity-related policies

Launched in 2016, the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines offer comprehensive, evidence-based recommendations that integrate physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep for children and youth aged 5 to 17. These guidelines, which were developed through a collaboration between academic institutions, government bodies and health organizations such as the Public Health Agency of Canada, highlight the interconnected nature of daily movement behaviours within a full 24-hour period.Footnote 40

In 2018, the Public Health Agency of Canada, in collaboration with provincial and territorial governments, released Let’s Get Moving: A Common Vision for Increasing Physical Activity and Reducing Sedentary Living in Canada.Footnote 41 The aim of this policy on physical activity was, among other things, to:

Provincial and territorial governments

Provinces and territories in Canada have broad jurisdiction in the area of sport and physical activity.Footnote 43 As described above, sport is an area of shared jurisdiction between the federal, provincial and territorial legislatures. Provinces and territories also have broad responsibilities over employment and labour standards, and workplace health and safety,Footnote 44 areas that have an impact on sport and physical activity.Footnote 45

With respect to sport and physical activity, as with all issues in the Canadian federation, provinces and territories have their unique approaches to what they fund, legislate, govern, and oversee within their jurisdictions.

Provinces and territories have many roles related to sport and physical activity. They include the development of school curricula, the creation of recreational and sport facilities, and the support of provincial and territorial sport organizations. Certain provinces and territories have also adopted sport-specific legislation. For example, Ontario has legislation to prevent concussions.Footnote 46 Quebec also has comprehensive legislation for safe sport,Footnote 47 and Manitoba has introduced a bill in its legislative assembly intended to address this issue.Footnote 48 These legislative measures are discussed in greater detail in Chapter 15.

Provinces and territories have ministries responsible for sport, although the exact title of the ministry and its responsibilities varies per jurisdiction. For example, sport is the responsibility of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport in British Columbia. In Quebec, it falls into the mandate of the ministère de l’Éducation (Ministry of Education).

As will be discussed in greater detail in Chapter 5 which focuses on funding, each of the provinces and territories has funding programs to support their athletes and sport organizations. Many have delegated the distribution of funds to Multisport Service Organizations like viaSport in British Columbia. Some provinces like Saskatchewan leverage lottery funds to support sport in the province. These provinces also delegate the responsibility to administer these funds to Multisport Service Organizations like Sask Sport in Saskatchewan.

Municipal governments

Municipalities are legal creations of their provincial and territorial governments.Footnote 49 They have no independent constitutional status but play a highly significant role in providing funding, infrastructure and support for a broad range of high performance, amateur and recreational sport and physical activities.

The local parks, community centres and programs they provide are critical elements of the Canadian sport environment. These are the playing fields, skating rinks, pools, beaches, curling rinks, and hockey arenas that millions of Canadians use daily. Community centres and municipal facilities and programs are where most Canadians enjoy and participate in organized sport and physical activity.

Intergovernmental collaboration

Given the shared jurisdiction, there are mechanisms for intergovernmental collaboration on sport matters that exist between the federal, provincial and territorial governments. These include:

The Ministers’ Conferences are held on a regular basis. They bring together the Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers responsible for Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation to set priorities, make decisions, and build relationships to further collaborative work.Footnote 50 A notable product of such collaboration, the Red Deer Declaration – For the Prevention of Harassment, Abuse and Discrimination in Sport,Footnote 51 was endorsed by the ministers at the 2019 conference in Red Deer, Alberta.Footnote 52

The Red Deer Declaration is a fundamental agreement aimed at eliminating harassment, discrimination and abuse in Canadian sport. Under the Red Deer Declaration,Footnote 53 federal, provincial and territorial ministers formally agreed to work together to:

The Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council (SPARC) is an intergovernmental cooperation mechanism that is co-chaired at the federal level by Canadian Heritage and Sport Canada.Footnote 55 It began as a provincial and territorial board in the late 1950s and early 1960s. We understand that the Council played a pivotal role in creating the Red Deer Declaration – For the Prevention of Harassment, Abuse and Discrimination in Sport.

Today, the Council is an advisory body that facilitates coordination between federal, provincial and territorial governments.Footnote 56 The Council holds Ministerial, Deputy Ministerial and officials working group level meetings and discussions. All are co-chaired by the federal representatives and a provincial or territorial representative.

The Federal-Provincial/Territorial Sport Committee is a standing committee of the Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council. It is composed of up to three members appointed by Sport Canada and six members are appointed by Provincial and Territorial Governments to provide regional representation.

The activities of the Federal-Provincial/Territorial Sport Committee include coordinating the implementation of sport initiatives from the Ministers’ Conferences, as well as those contained in the Federal-Provincial/Territorial Priorities for Collaborative Action.Footnote 57 This work aligns with the objectives of other key policy documents: A Common Vision for Increasing Physical Activity and Reducing Sedentary Living in Canada: Let’s Get Moving (2018) and A Framework for Recreation in Canada 2015: Pathways to Wellbeing.

Notably, the Committee is responsible for coordinating, monitoring and reporting on initiatives to advance the Canadian Sport Policy.

Similar to the Council, the Committee holds Ministerial, Deputy Ministerial and officials working group level meetings and discussions. All are co-chaired by the federal representatives and a provincial or territorial representative.

Intergovernmental collaboration occurs between representatives from the provinces and territories who also meet as the Interprovincial Sport and Recreation Council (ISRC). This Council originated over five decades ago, as a provincial and territorial body. Today, the Interprovincial Sport and Recreation Council is the operational arm of the Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council.

Bilateral agreements

The Government of Canada also supports provincial and territorial projects and activities by providing funding through bilateral agreements. The purpose of these agreements is to encourage sport participation and physical activity among children and youth. More specifically, the primary objectives are:

It appears that the funding for these agreements is partly provided by Sport Canada’s Sport Support Program and the Hosting Program. These programs and the bilateral agreements are discussed in further detail in Chapter 5.

Participant perspectives on the roles and responsibilities of governments

Lack of leadership

Throughout our engagement activities, there was consistent emphasis on the need for clear leadership within the sport and physical activity community to address the multiple challenges it faces. There is deep concern regarding the absence of a single entity responsible for the strategic leadership and support of sport and physical activity in Canada.

Many noted the absence of strong leadership and vision from Sport Canada. We were told that the lack of leadership from Sport Canada created a gap that is further exacerbated by the lack of alignment between national, provincial, territorial and community levels of sport. Most agreed that the federal government should be a leader in sport, and that a good framework and direction for sport at the national level could provide a template for provinces and territories who would want to create a similar framework.

The federal government’s approach to sport is perceived as fragmented and lacking in strategic vision. There is a common perception that Sport Canada is reactionary rather than proactive. This led to a Canadian sport “system” that has evolved in an ad hoc manner over decades, responding to various crises, issues, pressures and political priorities.

Many spoke of the work that had been accomplished in the area of sport by the federal government in the past years, with past ministers introducing numerous important sport policies. For instance, the provision of multi-year funding for sport organizations was positively received by many. Further, some participants noted that the federal government has made progress in developing policies, but was less successful in developing programs.

Instability

We were told by many involved in sport that ministers and politicians in all governments bring good intentions and a deep commitment to sport and physical activity when they are in the portfolio. However, the nature of politics means that portfolios, Ministers and governments change, and therefore so do priorities, initiatives, and leadership. While changing ministers and policy directions are expected and may regularly occur, it has nevertheless contributed to the stagnation of sport policy development.

The Commission understands that the policy-development process is often prolonged. By the time a policy is ready to be approved by a minister, changes in leadership may have ensued and new strategic directions emerged, requiring further revisions, ongoing delays and often confusion.

Focus on high-performance sport

We have noted previously that there is a perception that Canadian sport policy, funding, and programs have emerged over decades like a pinball bouncing from crisis to crisis, and from the latest political or ministerial priority to the next. For instance, the federal government's current funding focus on performance and medals was highly criticized by many organizations and individuals. The shift to a medal and performance-focused system was linked to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games. It was noted by many that the emphasis on performance puts undue and sometimes unhealthy pressure on athletes, coaches, and organizations.

A focus on medals and high performance, while important in one context, significantly interfered with the development of a broad, inclusive and accessible culture of physical activity and sport across Canada, an equally important concept.

The importance and value of high-performance athletes as Canadian role models were noted by many. But many individuals, including elite athletes, emphasized the importance of achieving a better balance between high-performance and community sport. Many noted that the time was right for a rebalancing of priorities between high-performance and participation, within a comprehensive national physical-activity and sport system.

Sport also plays a fundamental role in encouraging physical activity and community building. There is no doubt that sport is important for all members of society, not only for high-performance athletes. Therefore, it is important that the government's policies and funding priorities reflect the needs of society at large by focusing on participation and inclusion.

Insufficient short-term strategy

The lack of clarity, cohesion, and strategic depth of Canada’s current sport policy framework was highlighted throughout our engagements. Many cited the stalled Sport Funding and Accountability Framework and challenges with the renewed Canadian Sport Policy as examples of Sport Canada’s lack of leadership. It was noted that Sport Canada’s Policy on Aboriginal Peoples Participation in Sport requires revision as it was written prior to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and employs outdated language.

On a related note, we were also advised that Sport Canada was working on an Indigenous sport policy, the status of which is unknown. In this respect, it was noted that the policy needs to be strategic and provide a long-term plan for creating opportunities for and supporting Indigenous athletes and sport events. We were strongly advised that the development of this policy cannot use a colonial approach, and that collaboration with Indigenous Peoples and communities was essential in its creation.

Additionally, many have criticized the federal government for its responses to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls for Action concerning sport and reconciliation. The government responses have been described as insufficient. Providing funding to the North American Indigenous Games was seen as an inadequate response to the Call to Action 88 which implores all levels of government to take action to ensure long-term Aboriginal athlete development and growth. We were advised that more remains to be done, and that concrete actions need to be taken by the federal and other governments.

Overall, despite the best intentions, political cycles and shifting priorities limit the ability of sport organizations to undertake proper strategic long-term planning with secure multi-year funding. We were told that the system is “broken.” Sport organizations often struggle with insufficient funding and short-term funding. This makes it difficult for them to address an array of challenges, including governance, accessibility, safe sport. Their limited resources hinder their ability to ensure coordinated, consistent approaches to these issues.

The sport and physical activity sector is seeking sound, long-term strategic thinking and secure multi-year funding to ensure that appropriate planning is possible and becomes a reality. The reforms that are needed require commitment, time and independence from the political and governmental cycles that too often reflect short-term thinking. There is a need for long-term vision and coordinated leadership.

Lack of oversight

On numerous occasions, we were informed that there is no true supervision or auditing of the sport system. Many noted that Sport Canada has failed to enforce compliance with its policies. There is a common view that Sport Canada is not ensuring that the conditions of funding, like minimum governance requirements for National Sport Organizations, are being met.

On the other hand, we were advised that Sport Canada’s ability to provide effective oversight over National Sport Organizations and the sport system is also limited. This is because its only form of leverage is its spending power. Essentially, Sport Canada can only have control over the organizations that it funds, which are largely national level organizations. This form of control may be ineffective in cases where the sport organization receives funding from various sources and is not heavily reliant on federal funding.

We also understand that pulling funding from a sport organization is a measure of last resort because it usually has a more significant impact on the athletes than the organization itself. Additionally, the Physical Activity and Sport Act, which empowers Sport Canada to provide funding to sport organizations, does not provide for any enforcement mechanisms as it relates to compliance with funding conditions.

Federal responsibility for sport and physical activity

There are mixed views on who should be responsible for sport and physical activity at the federal level. As noted above, the responsibility for sport and physical activity is currently divided between Canadian Heritage and the Public Health Agency of Canada (i.e., the Ministry of Health). There were calls to consolidate the sport and physical activity portfolios under a single minister, with some advocating for both portfolios to be under the Ministry of Health.

Participants noted the importance of recognizing the correlation between health and physical activity and sport. Consequently, we were told that the transfer of the responsibility for sport to the Ministry of Health, coupled with additional funding, would underline the critical role of physical activity in the physical and mental health of Canadians.

Additionally, there was concern that sport bureaucracies in the federal government were sometimes too closely tied to sport organizations and high-performance culture, and that they did not bring a sufficiently independent health-focused perspective to sport, and to safe sport in particular.

However, others expressed concerns that sport would likely not get the attention it requires in the health portfolio. This is due to the many jurisdictional, funding, infrastructure and program challenges that governments and the Canadian health system already face. Instead, some suggested that the federal government should permanently institute a Ministry for Sport. Others believe that Sport Canada should continue to remain responsible for sport with a focus on high-performance athletes, and that a new department in the Ministry of Health should be created to coordinate and develop youth and grassroots movement sports.

Despite the divergence of opinions on which ministry should be responsible for sport and physical activity, there is a consensus that these areas need to be prioritized. Participants also agreed that the Government of Canada should continue to invest in increasing physical activity levels and reducing barriers to becoming active in Canada.

There is an overwhelming desire for change – substantive change – to address the multiple challenges facing the Canadian sport and physical activity communities. Many feel that the existing sport system no longer meets the needs of contemporary Canadian society. There were numerous calls for the creation of a centralized, arm’s-length entity responsible for sport and physical activity. Such an entity would provide a clear and visionary direction, align the system under shared values, and provide strategic support to sport organizations.

Provincial and territorial governments

Many of the concerns raised about the federal government were also heard in discussions about activities at the provincial and territorial level. These concerns included a lack of direction and, insufficient funding and resources provided by governments to support their sport communities.

On numerous occasions, participants commented that provincial and territorial governments seem to be uninterested in advancing sport and physical activity issues within their jurisdictions, and that these matters are often ignored. Many participants, including Provincial and Territorial Sport Organizations, specifically called for more programs and resources, and stronger guidance on coaching certifications and safe sport.

Many shared that they were concerned with the increasing administrative burden on sport organizations. They explained that most sport organizations rely heavily on volunteers and are already under strain due to a lack of resources, including human resources. Although many provincial and territorial governments provide core funding to sport organizations, we were told that the levels of funding are insufficient to sustain Provincial and Territorial Sport Organizations.

Shared jurisdiction over sport and intergovernmental collaboration

The Canadian sport system is complex due to the shared jurisdiction over sport between the federal governments and the 13 provinces and territories. The shared jurisdiction was identified as a longstanding challenge to many in the sport community, leading some to suggest it was easy for governments to point fingers at other levels of government for inaction or funding gaps.

On numerous occasions, we were told that intergovernmental collaboration, communication and coordination are essential to effectively deliver sport programs throughout the country, particularly at the grassroots level. Participants explained that collaboration between the provincial and territorial governments and federal government is crucial because the federal government is far removed from the grassroots and may not have the visibility of the needs at the local level. Yet, we were frequently told that such collaboration and communication were lacking.

Participants told us of a lack of communication between provinces and territories and Sport Canada. Many questioned the ongoing effectiveness of intergovernmental collaborations, even though it has been successful in the past, for example, with the creation of the Canadian Sport Policy. While systems are in place to facilitate collaboration, we were advised that meetings occur infrequently, and have limited accomplishments. This contributes to the fractured and disjointed approach to sport that many feel is evident throughout the country.

Participants stressed that the federal, provincial and territorial governments needed to assume leadership to address an ongoing crisis in the sport system. Some suggested that intergovernmental collaboration mechanisms like the Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council must be strengthened.

We also heard a significant amount of frustration with the lack of collaboration between federal, provincial, territorial and municipal government in supporting hosting opportunities for sport events.

Indigenous people in sport

Sport is interwoven with Indigenous culture and history. Indigenous Peoples hold an important space in the sport system. Over the course of our engagement activities, a number of Indigenous communities, organizations, governments and individuals welcomed the opportunity to share their experiences and knowledge with the Commission as it relates to sport and physical activity. We recognize that we still have much to learn from Indigenous people. We are committed to continuing to engage, listen and learn as we pursue the Commission’s work.

For now, this section provides a brief overview of Indigenous governments and communities, Provincial and Territorial Aboriginal Sport Bodies and Indigenous-led games.

Indigenous governments and communities

First Nations, Inuit and Métis governments, councils, communities and organizations deliver sport and physical activity programs in their communities. This can include administering sport programs, providing education and resources, and funding to athletes, programs and events. The details of the programs, services and policies will vary per community.

Some Indigenous governments support their communities through sports and recreation grants. Some also host and sponsor sport-related events. Others have a Ministry and Minister specific to sport and physical activity. In some cases, they work collaboratively with their Provincial or Territorial Aboriginal Sport Body and Association of Friendship Centres.

Some Indigenous communities have a dedicated sports and recreation department that provides community members with the opportunity to engage and participate in physical activity, organized sport, interactive community events and cultural activities. As a result, they have year-round programming aimed at enhancing the quality of life for members of the community through community-driven sport, recreation, and other physical activities.

Aboriginal Sport Circle and Provincial and Territorial Aboriginal Sport Bodies

The Aboriginal Sport Circle is a National Multisport Service Organization. It is described as “Canada’s national voice for Aboriginal sport, physical activity, and recreation bringing together the interests of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.”Footnote 59 They receive funding from Sport Canada through the Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities allocated to them and 13 Provincial and Territorial Aboriginal Sport Bodies for the development of sport community programming.Footnote 60 In 2023-2024, the Aboriginal Sport Circle received $2,745,000 from Sport Canada’s Sport Support Program.Footnote 61

Established in 1995, the Aboriginal Sport Circle was created to address the need for more accessible and equitable sport and recreation opportunities for Aboriginal Peoples. Their mandate has since evolved to include physical activity, health, nutrition, physical education, and wellness.Footnote 62

The Aboriginal Sport Circle is a member-based not-for-profit organization whose members consist of 13 Provincial and Territorial Aboriginal Sport Bodies. These bodies are funded by Sport Canada. Their respective structure, mandate and the services they provide to their communities may vary in nature. As members of the Aboriginal Sport Circle, they represent the grassroots interests of the Aboriginal Peoples in their respective jurisdiction.Footnote 63

Working in partnership with other National Multisport Service Organizations, the Aboriginal Sport Circle delivers the following three programs:

Indigenous games

Indigenous games are a means of preserving cultural heritage, but also serve as a tool for reconciliation in Canada. There are several Indigenous games, either multi-sport events or sport-specific events for Indigenous athletes. Although we recognize there are other Indigenous games, events and organizations that conduct important work in the context of Indigenous Sport, the content below provides an overview of the North American Indigenous Games, and the Arctic Winter Games.

North American Indigenous Games

The North American Indigenous Games is a multi-sport event for Indigenous North American athletes.Footnote 67 It is one of the largest sporting and cultural gatherings of Indigenous Peoples in North America.Footnote 68

The North American Indigenous Games, unlike other Multisport Service Organizations, grew out of an Indigenous-led process and without government support. They are also unique in that Indigenous culture is “infused” into all aspects of the games.

The North American Indigenous Games Council serves as the international governing body of the North American Indigenous Games. It is comprised of a 26-member council of representatives from all 13 provinces and territories in Canada and 13 regionsFootnote 69 in the United States.Footnote 70 The Council is an incorporated, non-profit organization.Footnote 71

The North American Indigenous Games were created to promote healthy lifestyles, strengthen self-image, and highlight Indigenous role models through sport and culture. Its sport program features 16 sports, including three traditional Indigenous sports: canoe/kayak, lacrosse, and 3D archery.Footnote 72

The vision for these games is “[t]o improve the quality of life for Indigenous Peoples by supporting self-determined sports and cultural activities which encourage equal access to participation in the social / cultural / spiritual fabric of the community in which they reside and which respects Indigenous distinctiveness.”Footnote 73

Arctic Winter Games

The Arctic Winter Games is a biennial multi-sport event.Footnote 74 These games were founded in 1969 to provide athletes from the arctic and subarctic regions a place to compete in their own cultural context.Footnote 75 Their mission is to “provide a meaningful Arctic Winter Games Experience.”Footnote 76

The Arctic Winter Games is a Corporation under the Canada Corporations Act.Footnote 77 They are governed by a Board composed of Directors from each of its permanent members. Those members are Alaska, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Northern Alberta, Nunavut and Greenland.

Through a bidding process, the Arctic Winter Games selects a hosting community with whom it enters into a formal agreement for the purposes of the games. The host community then establishes a not-for-profit Host Society for the event. The host community, through the Host Society stages the games in accordance with the Arctic Winter Games requirements.Footnote 78

As such, the key activities of the Arctic Winter Games include selecting a host community, overseeing the games’ preparation, and ensuring technical and cultural integrity. Through these activities, the Arctic Winter Gamesfosters the development of young athletes, promotes cultural exchange, and strengthens the bonds among Circumpolar North communities.Footnote 79

Funding for the Arctic Winter Games typically comes from a combination of government contributions, corporate sponsorships, grants, and in-kind donations. For example, the Government of Yukon committed $4 million in funding and an additional $350,000 in in-kind contributions for the 2026 Games.Footnote 80

In 2024, the Games’ budget was supported largely by grants, sponsorships, and in-kind donations.Footnote 81 The Commission understands that the Arctic Winter Games do not receive any funding from the federal government of Canada. However, when games are hosted in Canada, the host society typically receives funding from Sport Canada and Infrastructure Canada.

National Association of Friendship Centres

The National Association of Friendship Centres is a network of member Friendship Centres and Provincial and Territorial Associations, referred to as the Friendship Centre Movement.Footnote 82 While it is not a sport organization and does not have any specific policy or program initiatives related to sport and physical activity, it plays a significant role in the sport context for urban Indigenous Communities.

The National Association of Friendship Centres promotes and advocates the concerns of its members and supports them in achieving their missions and visions within their urban Indigenous communities. It also provides urban Indigenous perspectives to municipal, provincial, territorial, and federal governments, and non-Indigenous civil society organizations.

The National Association of Friendship Centres defines Urban Indigenous people as “First Nations, Inuit, and Métis living in small, medium and large communities, including rural, isolated and remote communities, which are off-reserve; outside of their home community, community of origin or settlement; or outside of Inuit Nunangat (Inuit Homeland).”Footnote 83

The National Association of Friendship Centres is a not-for-profit incorporated under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act. They are governed by a volunteer Executive Committee of five members and a volunteer board of directors. The Board is comprised of 11 regional representatives including members from the Indigenous Youth CouncilFootnote 84 and the Senate.Footnote 85 Board members are selected by the Provincial and Territorial Associations.

The National Association of Friendship Centres receives funding under various agreements with the Government of Canada and other contributors. The Association then distributes these funds to its members across Canada and to other organizations that carry out the projects intended to fulfil its mandate.

In 2023, the Association’s revenues totalled $49,921,261, with $48,445,884 coming from government contributions. These government contributions came from Indigenous Services Canada, Canadian Heritage, Department of Justice, Employment and Social Development Canada, Department for Women and Gender Equality, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, Public Health Agency of Canada, Public Safety Canada, Environment Canada, and Canadian Institutes of Health Research.Footnote 86

The National Association of Friendship Centres, through its members, provide culturally appropriate services for Indigenous people. Despite this, the Association is not a recipient of any sport-specific funding from Sport Canada.

Moreover, the Association is not eligible to receive funds from the Aboriginal Sport Circle, as it is not a Provincial or Territorial Aboriginal Sport Body. It is also important to note that in some cases, the Association represents and provides services to people who may not be represented by Provincial or Territorial Aboriginal Sport Bodies.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action

Three reference points were often cited as being highly relevant for discussions and engagement regarding Indigenous communities and sport in Canada: the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the Calls for Justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

It is important to note that Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, in their 2015 Final Report, included five Calls to Action that addressed sport and physical activity.Footnote 87 These were:

  1. We call upon all levels of government, in collaboration with Aboriginal Peoples, sports halls of fame, and other relevant organizations, to provide public education that tells the national story of Aboriginal athletes in history.
  2. We call upon all levels of government to take action to ensure long-term Aboriginal athlete development and growth, and continued support for the North American Indigenous Games, including funding to host the games and for provincial and territorial team preparation and travel.
  3. We call upon the federal government to amend the Physical Activity and Sport Act to support reconciliation by ensuring that policies to promote physical activity as a fundamental element of health and well-being, reduce barriers to sports participation, increase the pursuit of excellence in sport, and build capacity in the Canadian sport system, are inclusive of Aboriginal Peoples.
  4. We call upon the federal government to ensure that national sports policies, programs, and initiatives are inclusive of Aboriginal Peoples, including, but not limited to, establishing:
    1. In collaboration with provincial and territorial governments, stable funding for, and access to, community sports programs that reflect the diverse cultures and traditional sporting activities of Aboriginal Peoples.
    2. An elite athlete development program for Aboriginal athletes.
    3. Programs for coaches, trainers, and sports officials that are culturally relevant for Aboriginal Peoples.
    4. Anti-racism awareness and training programs.
  5. We call upon the officials and host countries of international sporting events such as the Olympics, Pan Am, and Commonwealth games to ensure that Indigenous Peoples’ territorial protocols are respected, and local Indigenous communities are engaged in all aspects of planning and participating in such events.Footnote 88

In response to these Calls to Action, the federal government has made commitments to support Indigenous sports initiatives, including funding First Nation, Métis and Inuit governments for various programs.Footnote 89

A Standing Working Group, co-chaired by the Aboriginal Sport Circle and Sport Canada, was also established to identify priorities, and co-develop action plans in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.Footnote 90

According to publicly available information, and at the time of writing this report, the Standing Working Group is expected to finalize its strategy soon. We understand that it may be presented to federal, provincial, and territorial sport ministers in August 2025.Footnote 91

In addition, the federal government created the Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities, a component of the Sport Support Program.Footnote 92 Through this program, Sport Canada provides funding to the Aboriginal Sport Circle, the 13 Provincial and Territorial Aboriginal Sport Bodies, Indigenous governments, communities and not-for-profit Indigenous organizations.Footnote 93 Details of these programs are provided below in the funding section in Chapter 5.

Moreover, Sport Canada announced in 2022 its support for the creation of the Commonwealth (Lekwungen) Sport Declaration on Truth, Reconciliation and Partnership with Indigenous Peoples. They provided funding to Commonwealth Sport Canada to support the Commonwealth Indigenous Sport Declaration Working Group in creating this Declaration.Footnote 94

The Commission understands that this Declaration was approved by acclamation at the Commonwealth Games Federation General Assembly in 2023.Footnote 95 Within this Declaration, there are 10 calls to action to promote inclusion, education, health and development through sport. The hope is that signatories to this Declaration implement all 10 calls to action leading to meaningful change for Indigenous communities across the Commonwealth.

Participant perspectives on Indigenous sport

The Commission had meaningful discussions with a range of Indigenous sport organizations and Indigenous community organizations engaged with sport on and off reserve, recognizing that a large population of Indigenous people live off reserve and Métis homelands, often in urban settings.

Racism and creation of two parallel sport systems

Every Indigenous organization and community with whom the Commission engaged with shared experiences of anti-Indigenous racism and taunting in mainstream sport settings. Indigenous children, youth and adult athletes shared experiences of being targeted and bullied during games and in sporting events.

To illustrate the presence of racism experienced by Indigenous people in the sporting context, many of the parents from Indigenous communities we engaged with shared that their children experienced racial slurs and differential treatment and that they were excluded from activities. We were informed that parents were also subjected to racism, facing discrimination and marginalization.

Despite the presence of racism, individuals from these communities reiterated that sport serves as an important historical and cultural foundation for First Nations, Métis and Inuit athletes and communities. We were told on numerous occasions of the importance of honouring this history and recognizing the contributions of Indigenous Peoples to Canadian Sport.

Through sharing, we learned that the Indigenous sport system was created since Indigenous people were not included in the “mainstream” sport system. This resulted in two parallel sport systems that operate independently from each other.Footnote 96

Indigenous athletes who reached the national level of their sport expressed receiving enormous support and encouragement from their communities. This visibility created an immense sense of pride in the community. However, we also heard that such a profile could be isolating and place enormous pressure on the athlete as one of the few to reach the pinnacle of their sport.

The Commission was informed of the need for a sport system that is intentional, well researched, culturally safe and grounded, and accountable. The need for Indigenous-led sport programming and games was also highlighted. In fact, we were told that an Indigenous Sport system which empowers communities and nations to administer their own programs would align with the principle of self-determination.

Aboriginal Sport Circle

Many recognized the pivotal role of the Aboriginal Sport Circle in promoting an Indigenous sport system and emphasizing the infusion of spiritual and cultural practices. It was seen by some, as the national voice for Indigenous sport. It was also noted that what is being done at the community level should also be carefully examined to ensure that community needs are being met. The underfunding of the Aboriginal Sport Circle was highlighted by many.

Others noted that the Aboriginal Sport Circle reflected a colonial approach in that it followed a National Sport Organization model in which the Aboriginal Sport Circle is akin to a National Sport Organization with its 13 Provincial and Territorial Aboriginal Sport Body members. Some opined the Aboriginal Sport Circle is recognized by the Government of Canada as the voice and gatekeeper of the Aboriginal voices. Finally, questions regarding the accountability of the Aboriginal Sport Circle to Indigenous communities were raised.

Indigenous games

A recurring theme throughout our engagement with Indigenous sport organizations and communities was the importance of the various Indigenous games to Indigenous athletes and communities.

Some shared that youth involvement in the North American Indigenous Games was life changing, removed barriers and provided youth support. Others shared with the Commission that participation in the North American Indigenous Games resulted in positive lifestyle changes, leading to healthier behaviours, like nutrition choices and the pursuit of post-secondary education. More importantly, it was noted that participation in these games gave youth self-confidence, self-worth, and led to some seeing themselves as role models in their communities.

Additionally, the success and substantial economic impact of the North American Indigenous Games were broadly recognized despite a lack of funding. There were calls for the federal and provincial and territorial governments to re-open these funding discussions in line with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls for Action 88. We understand that the funding framework for the North American Indigenous Games was last addressed in 2019.

In addition to the support voiced for the North American Indigenous Games, similar sentiments were expressed with regard to other Indigenous Games such as the Arctic Winter Games, the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships and provincially or territorially based Indigenous Games. These events were described as major healing events for intergenerational trauma while providing opportunities for Indigenous youth to compete and play together, creating a sense of pride and community. Participating in the Arctic Winter Games was described as a great opportunity for Indigenous youth, contributed to a sense of belonging and provided a safe space for competition and play.

At the provincial level, we were informed that the Alberta Indigenous Games has led to a dozen athletes accessing education in the United States and receiving a scholarship because of scouts attending these games. In contrast, an unfortunate reality raised with respect to Indigenous Games is that many people do not know of, or even acknowledge their existence. Therefore, scouts attend these events infrequently, which results in the accomplishments of Indigenous athletes going unnoticed.

Friendship Centres and the National Association of Friendship Centres

Despite not being sport organizations, the important roles played by the National Association of Friendship Centres and individual Friendship Centres were noted. It was recognized that, in many urban settings, some Indigenous children access sport through a Friendship Centre while others access sport through a mainstream sport organization. Many shared that such mainstream sport organizations are not set up to provide a safe and inclusive environment to Indigenous people. For this reason, it was strongly recommended that consideration be given to providing funding for sport and recreation activities to the National Association of Friendship Centres, which could then be distributed to local Friendship Centres.

Sport organizations

In addition to the varying levels of government involved in the Canadian sport system, there are numerous sport organizations primarily responsible for the development and delivery of sport programs. The differing levels of coordination and alignment between and within these organizations further complicate the Canadian sport system.

As will be discussed below, there are International Sport Federations, National Sport Organizations, Provincial and Territorial Sport Organizations and Community Sport Organizations, all playing a variety of roles across the Canadian sport landscape.

It is important to note that dedicated volunteer coaches, team managers, support personnel, officials, competition organizers, and fundraisers, are at the core of the sport universe in Canada. Many of them are parents of athletes, but also aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, neighbours, community-minded volunteers, and former athletes.

It is estimated that over 25% of Canadian adults volunteer in a sport-related capacity,Footnote 97 and that volunteers in the sport and recreation context gave on average 105 hours of their time per year.Footnote 98 Sport organizations, clubs, teams, and competitions across Canada would not exist without the invaluable volunteer commitment of their members and supporters. Volunteers play a critical and fundamental role in the sport and physical activity community system and make an incalculable human contribution to the sector.

In the sections below, we provide an overview of the roles and responsibilities of the various international, national, provincial and territorial, and community sport organizations and the perspectives shared by those who participate in their activities.

International Sport Federations

International Sport Federations are independent non-governmental organizations that administer one or more sports or distinct sport disciplines. They have the responsibility and duty to manage and to monitor the everyday running of the world’s various sports disciplines and the practical organization of events during the Olympic Games. They must also supervise the development of athletes practising these sports at every level. Each International Sport Federation governs its sport at world level and ensures its promotion and development.Footnote 99

Some examples include the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (better known as FIFA, the governing body for soccer),Footnote 100 World Athletics (the governing body for track and field as well as road and cross-country running),Footnote 101 World Aquatics (the governing body for diving, swimming, artistic swimming, and water polo),Footnote 102 and the International Skating Union (the governing body for speed skating and figure skating).Footnote 103

National Sport Organizations

National Sport Organizations are the Canadian counterparts of international sport federations. They are the governing bodies for their sport and, usually, variants of their sport in Canada.Footnote 104 Among other responsibilities, they may select and manage national teams, sanction and oversee national competitions, develop and provide education for coaches, professional staff and officials manage high-performance programs and promote and develop their sport.Footnote 105

The programs and services of National Sport Organizations are designed to be nationwide. However, as noted below, they may not extend to all provinces or territories.Footnote 106

The sports under the authority of National Sports Organizations in Canada typically align with those of the International Sport Federations. Canada Soccer, for example, is the governing body for soccer in Canada and is the only Canadian member of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) as well as its regional subdivision (Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football or CONCACAF).

In other instances, multiple Canadian National Sport Organizations are members of a single International Sport Federation. For example, World Aquatics has five Canadian National Sport Organizations among its members (Aquatics Canada, Water Polo Canada, Canadian Artistic Swimming, Diving Canada and Swimming Canada).

Some National Sport Organizations govern both non-para and parasports.Footnote 107 Parasports are sports primarily for people with a broad range of physical or sight-related disabilities. There are four National Sport Organizations that govern only para or adaptive sport and are in receipt of funding from Sport Canada.Footnote 108 Other similar organizations exist but do not receive this funding.

At this time, all federally funded National Sport Organizations are incorporated under the federal Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act.Footnote 109 These organizations are typically governed by a board of directors. Details about their governance are discussed in Chapter 7.

There are no statutes or legislative requirements specific to National Sport Organizations. To be recognized as such by Sport Canada, they are only required to meet certain criteria and abide by certain policies. These requirements are set out in funding agreements and policy frameworks as opposed to federal,provincial or territorial legislation. Being recognized as a National Sport Organization by Sport Canada allows it to be eligible to receive funding from the federal government.Footnote 110

Funding for National Sports Organizations can come from a variety of sources, including from the federal government through Sport Canada’s three funding programs.Footnote 111 For example, over the 2023-2024 fiscal year, Sport Canada funded a total of 64 National Sport Organizations under the Sport Support Program.Footnote 112 The list of these National Sport Organizations can be found in Appendix 1. It has been noted that approximately 90% of these National Sport Organizations are heavily dependent on federal funding to deliver programs and services. Further details are provided on Sport Canada’s funding programs below in Chapter 5. National Sport Organizations may also obtain funding from non-governmental sources, including membership fees, event management, sponsorships, and corporate and individual donations.

Provincial and Territorial Sport Organizations

Provincial and Territorial Sport Organizations are the governing bodies for their sport within their province or territory. Their responsibilities are similar to those of their National Sport Organizations, but are expressed within their respective provincial or territorial boundaries. These responsibilities include the selection and management of provincial-territorial teams for national competitions.

In addition, most Provincial and Territorial Sport Organizations are members of their respective National Sport Organizations. As a result, they have certain rights under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act and governance documents. To name a few examples, under the Act, members elect and may remove the directors of their National Sport Organization.Footnote 113 They also confirm, reject or amend any by-law of the corporation.Footnote 114 Other rights of voting members include the right to receive notice of and attend the annual meeting of members.Footnote 115

Generally, there is a Provincial or Territorial Sport Organization in each province and territory for every sport. However, in some cases, there are multiple provincial or territorial sport organizations for a single sport in a province or territory. For example, Hockey Canada, has three Provincial Sport Organizations in the province of Ontario: Hockey Eastern Ontario, Hockey Northwestern Ontario and the Ontario Hockey Federation.Footnote 116

In other cases, a Provincial and Territorial Sport Organization will be responsible for multiple provinces and territories. Notably, a provincial counterpart for Skate Canada includes Alberta, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, all amalgamated under a single organization called Skate Canada: Alberta – Northwest Territories/Nunavut Association.Footnote 117

Some sports may not have Provincial or Territorial Sport Organizations in every jurisdiction. Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton, for example, is present in only four provinces.Footnote 118 This demonstrates the inconsistencies that may be present in Canadian sport structures.

Several provincial and territorial governments require Provincial and Territorial Sport Organizations to be incorporated as not-for-profit corporations under either provincial, territorial, or federal legislation to qualify for government funding. For example, Ontario and New Brunswick permit Provincial Sport Organizations to incorporate as not-for-profit corporations under either provincial or federal legislation, whereas Quebec and Alberta require the Provincial Sport Organizations to incorporate under their respective provincial legislation.Footnote 119

Similar to National Sport Organizations, some Provincial and Territorial Sport Organizations can govern multiple parasports, a single parasport, or both para and non-parasport. For example, the Ontario Para Network governs wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair tennis.Footnote 120 In contrast, BC Wheelchair Basketball is a single parasport provincial sport organization.Footnote 121 Conversely, para swimming is integrated within Swim Alberta.Footnote 122

Many of the Provincial and Territorial Sport Organizations are associated with clubs at the community level. In those cases, these clubs may be the members of the Provincial and Territorial Sport Organizations. At the community level, member clubs may offer opportunities for adults and youth to participate in sport.

Community Sport Organizations

Community Sport Organizations deliver grassroots sports and physical activity programs. They often offer recreational level sport programming, but may also offer a combination of competitive and high-performance programs. In fact, many national-level athletes train with local Community Sport Organizations, which often operate as feeder organizations for high-performance sport.

Many Community Sport Organizations rely on access to municipal or school facilities. They also generally rely heavily on membership or program fees for support, sometimes with the help of local business sponsorships.

At the community level, there is a broad range of delivery organizations, including non-profit groups and charitable organizations (like the YMCAFootnote 123), for-profit clubs, businesses and training institutions, schools and universities, and municipal governments.

As will be discussed in greater detail below, while participation in these organizations frequently overlaps, their governance and operations remain siloed. For example, a coach may work within both the school and club system, each of which has its own governing structure.

Indeed, many sport organizations at the community level and their participants exist beyond the oversight of National Sport Organizations and other elements of the “conventional” sport system.

At the community level, parasport programs are delivered in both integrated and non-integrated environments. Parasports are delivered at the community level by many types of organizations including conventional sport organizations, commercial organizations, charitable organizations and organizations that provide other non-sport services to persons with disabilities.

Participant perspectives on sport organizations

Financial challenges

The Commission was informed that the process for sport organizations to qualify and be approved for funding from Sport Canada was difficult. From 2013 to 2017, funding to National Sport Organizations was determined in accordance with the Sport Funding and Accountability Framework. In 2017, the federal government announced that they would be reviewing their funding framework.Footnote 124 The new application guidelines for the Sport Support Program were released in 2024 in conjunction with the Sport Integrity Framework. This will be further examined in Chapter 5.

Some participants in our engagement process expressed frustration with the difficulties they encountered in becoming recognized as a National Sport Organization and becoming eligible for funding under the old framework. For example, some non-Olympic or Paralympic program sports experienced challenges in meeting the minimum organization membership requirement of 5,000 members. Other sport organizations did not satisfy the requirement of being established in at least eight provinces or territories. Some shared that they were unable to apply because the funding framework was being reviewed and that they had to wait for its publication in order to apply.

In addition, we understood from some National Sport Organizations that for their respective Provincial and Territorial Sport Organizations to be eligible for funding within their own provincial or territorial jurisdictions, the National Sport Organization itself first needed to be eligible for federal funding.

As will be discussed in greater detail in Chapter 5, sport organizations at all levels are facing significant financial challenges. Funding is seen as inadequate to meet organizational needs and/or is provided on a short-term basis, which precludes appropriate long-term planning. In some cases, typically near year-end, resources are provided with very short notice, making it impossible to spend them within a time frame of days or weeks. At a time of limited budgets and fiscal constraints in all sectors, participants informed us of the need to look carefully at approaches to rationalize the funding of the sport and physical activity sector.

Proliferation of National Sport Organizations

There is a proliferation of sport organizations in Canada. Many have noted that there are too many sport organizations delivering similar programs and services.

A range of opinions were shared with the Commission on ways to reduce the number of National Sport Organizations. Some participants suggested that sport organizations relating to the same International Sport Federations amalgamate under one entity. For example, by combining Aquatics Canada, Water Polo Canada, Canada Artistic Swimming, Diving Plongeon Canada and Swimming Natation Canada, five National Sport Organizations could be merged into one.

Others proposed that federal government funding for National Sport Organizations be focused on a smaller number of sports that have broader participation. Some National Sport Organizations have fewer than 100 participants and face significant financial challenges as they seek to train and compete at a high international level.

Misalignment

A variety of observations were made about the alignment or misalignment of National, Provincial and Territorials and Community Sport Organizations. The level of alignment and varies per sport.

In rare cases, there is a high degree of collaboration between the National Sport Organization and its member Provincial and Territorial Sport Organizations and clubs, where uniform membership policies and procedures applied at all levels of sport. However, even where there is a high degree of collaboration and alignment, there can be a disconnect between a National Sport Organization’s vision and those of their provincial and territorial counterparts. Generally, National Sport Organizations were seen to focus on high-performance, whereas community organizations were seen as prioritizing growth, participation and fostering a sense of belonging and well-being.

In most cases, the relationship between National Sport Organizations and Provincial and Territorial Sport Organizations and its clubs is fragmented and was frequently described as broken. On numerous occasions, we were advised that National Sport Organizations are particularly disconnected from clubs and are far removed from the realities of community and grassroots sport. It is also important to note that National Sport Organizations generally have very little oversight or control over their member organizations. We note that the limited role of National Sport Organizations in this context is generally not well understood by the public, which contributes to the overall sense of confusion and frustration with the sport system.

Some suggested that National Sport Organization should have strategic and support oversight over Provincial and Territorial Sport Organizations and clubs. This could include setting national standards for inclusion, anti-racism, safe sport and equity at all levels of sport, and being more involved with the training and advancement opportunities. On the other hand, the Commission also heard the importance of flexibility at the community level to permit organizations to respond to local needs, demographics and access challenges.

A variety of perspectives were shared with us on how National Sport Organizations cooperate and effectively share best practices, resources, and governance tools and expertise. However, in many cases a lack of collaboration has led to the fragmentation of resources, inefficiencies and policy misalignments. It was noted for example that many organizations require human resources, information technology (IT), insurance, accommodations, and travel services, all of which could be provided more efficiently by a common provider.

Generally, participants advocated for well-defined collaboration between National Sport Organizations and Provincial and Territorial Sport Organizations to foster alignment on long-term priorities, including athlete safety, inclusivity and program accessibility.

Participants voiced concerns that despite not being located in Canada, International Sport Federations make decisions and policies that directly impact Canadian sport, particularity for high-performance and elite athletes. The processes by which Canadians are able to participate in these organizations also vary widely.

Integration of parasport

The Commission learned that the structure of parasport is equally complex and difficult to navigate. There were varying opinions about the strengths and weaknesses of integrated sport versus maintaining separate organizations, training and competitions for parasport and adaptive sport.

Integration was seen as positive for many para-athletes who appreciated the ability to train with colleagues without a disability.

On the other hand, serious concerns were shared about the extent to which sport organizations integrated parasport in their governance and, programming, and their commitment to this aspect of sport. Integration was identified as problematic when National Sport Organizations shuffle budgets and parasports’ funding is jeopardized.

Integration was also identified as more challenging for high-support-need athletes. We sensed a general view that Olympic teams and athletes got priority over Paralympic teams and athletes in terms of access to training, coaches, equipment, facilities, and funding.

Ultimately, we heard that whether parasport should be integrated with non-parasport depends on the leadership, capacity of the organization, and understanding of the needs of athletes with disabilities within a sport organization.

The Commission was advised that Paralympic sport appears to many individuals to be a secondary focus for National Sport Organizations. Many noted that para-athlete voices are not being heard within integrated sports. It was suggested that, rather than creating para-specific programming, too many National Sport Organizations model their Paralympic program on their Olympic program. Participants suggested that organizations prioritize hiring Paralympic experts. They also suggested forming a Paralympic focus group composed of world-renowned experts to ensure para-programs are developed “the right way.”

The Commission was made aware of the significant funding and cost inequities experienced by para-athletes and their organizations as will be discussed below.

Volunteers and governance

A number of concerns were shared with us about the reliance of sport organizations on volunteers. While volunteers often bring valuable personal experience in sport, either as athletes or parents of athletes, they frequently lack expertise in organizational leadership and governance.

We heard many remarkable stories of the commitment and dedication of volunteers, without whom sport organizations would not be able to function. However, there were also concerns about the potential for real or perceived conflicts of interest. A few observers commented about the allure of travel to national and international meetings and competitions, and the perception that “perks” are a significant sweetener for sport administrators and Board members.

It was also noted that the decline in volunteers has led sport organizations to hire individuals who may not be properly screened or have received safe sport training. The issues of education and training are further discussed in Chapter 14.

Athletes and observers also noted that some sport organizations at the national and provincial and territorial levels had been making significant efforts to improve diversity and equity representation in their staff, coaching and governance structures. Some organizations have also focused on outreach to underrepresented communities. Unfortunately, this was not a universal observation.

Athlete representation in sport organizations

Athletes were often described as the primary actors in Canadian sport. Yet, we heard that many athletes felt they are being treated as disposable commodities rather than valued contributors within the sport system.

Although many National Sport Organizations have some athlete representation and involvement in their governance, we were advised that the representation of athletes on the board of directors is often symbolic, and that athlete representation remains limited. We heard of a lack of racialized athletes on boards and that para-athletes have less influence in the sport system.

Some also suggested that an independent association like a union be created to represent carded athletes in the sport system.

Infrastructure

The Commission was informed of serious concerns about the inadequate sport facility infrastructure in every region of the country. We were told that access to adequate sport facilities is a critical component of providing accessible sport programming in Canada.

It was brought to our attention that the lack of facilities was a significant problem in many remote and Indigenous communities, particularly within the Territories. This acts as an additional barrier to accessing sport opportunities, as individuals must travel outside their communities to participate and not all have the resources to do so.

Some shared with us that the lack of facilities, including physically accessible facilities, also requires attention. They noted that an injection of capital funding, either from the government and/or through public-private partnerships is required. It was suggested that national, provincial and territorial strategies should be implemented to invest in and improve sport facilities across the country.

These issues are explored further in the chapters that follow.

Multisport Service Organizations

Unlike the sport organizations described above, Multisport Service Organizations generally do not directly deliver sport programming to athletes. Instead, they lead or coordinate the delivery of specific sport services to the sport community.Footnote 125 They play a key role in the Canadian sport system by supporting athletes, coaches, and sport organizations at all levels of sport.

This section explores the structure and roles of Multisport Service Organizations at the international, national, provincial, territorial and local levels of sport.

International Sport Organizations

International Sport Organizations are Multisport Service Organizations responsible for multisport international competitions. Examples of International Sport Organizations that are responsible for competitions include:

International Sport Organizations, like International Sports Federations, through their governance rules, qualification processes, and competition regulations, significantly affect national Multisport Service Organizations.

In addition to organizing major games, International Sport Organizations can also have vital roles in setting international standards. They develop rules and requirements related to participating in sport. Most notably, the World Anti-Doping Agency headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, is responsible for developing and coordinating anti-doping rules and policies across all sports and all countries.Footnote 135 In particular, the World Anti-Doping Agency oversees the World Anti-Doping Code and the eight related International Standards, including the List of Prohibited Substances.Footnote 136 The implementation of Canadian rules related to anti-doping occurs through the Canadian Anti-Doping Program administered by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport, which will be discussed further below.

National Multisport Service Organizations

National Multisport Service Organizations are defined by Sport Canada as organizations that provide “sport-related programs, services or activities to its members, stakeholders, the national sport community, or the Canadian public.”Footnote 137

The services provided by Multisport Service Organizations are broad and may include:

Each national Multisport Service Organization has its own purpose and mandate. Some were created to fill gaps in the sport landscape, to respond to specific challenges, to address historic inequities or to improve access to sport for a broad and diverse range of populations.

Through the Sport Support Program, Sport Canada provides funding to 23 national Multisport Service Organizations that lead or coordinate delivery of programs to the national sport community (see Chapter 5 for details).Footnote 138 Although these organizations receive federal funds, most have other sources of funding which can include donations and partnerships. Federally funded national Multisport Service Organizations are not-for-profit organizations.

Appendix 2 contains a list of all 23 federally funded national Multisport Services Organizations. Here, we offer a brief overview of a selection of Multisport Services Organizations.

In addition, some national Multisport Service Organizations are examined in other sections of the report. For instance, U SPORTS and the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association are briefly examined under the Sport and school environments section of Chapter 3.

Also, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport and the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada are discussed under Chapter 15 because their roles relate to dispute resolution and the administration of safe sport complaints.

Canadian Olympic Committee

The Canadian Olympic Committee represents Canada at the International Olympic Committee.Footnote 139 The current President of the Canadian Olympic Committee has been elected to serve as a member of the International Olympic Committee.Footnote 140 The members of the International Olympic Committee are individuals who represent and promote both the interests of the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Movement within their own countries and the organizations in which they serve.Footnote 141 It is also important to note that the Canadian Olympic Committee is constrained by certain International Olympic Committee policies.

The Canadian Olympic Committee collaborates with different organizations, namely National Sport Organizations, Own the Podium and the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network, to enhance Team Canada’s performance at the Olympic Games.Footnote 142 In support of its work, in 2023-2024, the Canadian Olympic Committee received $3,756,612 from Sport Canada through the Sport Support Program.Footnote 143 It also receives additional funding from the Canadian Olympic Foundation, private and corporate donations.

The Canadian Olympic Committee is a not-for-profit organization incorporated under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act.Footnote 144 The Committee has different classes of membership: Olympic National Sport Organizations, General Members, International Olympic Committee members and Athletes’ Commission.Footnote 145

The Canadian Olympic Committee has more than 3,500 members and represents a variety of individuals and organizations in the Olympic Movement in Canada, including all Olympic athletes and coaches.Footnote 146

The Canadian Olympic Committee has also been working to improve both governance and safe sport in the Canadian sport system. In 2019-2020, the Canadian Olympic Committee established a working group to review governance codes of other nations, research best practices in the sports and business worlds, and draft a governance code.Footnote 147 The resulting Canadian Sport Governance Code was presented to National Sport Organizations for feedback before being finalized in April 2021. The Canadian Sport Governance Code is discussed in more detail in Chapter 7.

In 2022, the Canadian Olympic Committee announced a $10M investment to advance safe sport.Footnote 148 Their 2023 Impact Report highlighted the following developments:

Canadian Paralympic Committee

The Canadian Paralympic Committee represents Canada at the International Paralympic Committee.Footnote 150 It operates in close partnership with 28 National Sport Organization members in Canada to foster an inclusive world through Paralympic sport.Footnote 151

The Canadian Paralympic Committee is a not-for-profit incorporated under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act.Footnote 152

In 2023-2024, the Canadian Paralympic Committee received $6,313,700 from Sport Canada through the Sport Support Program.Footnote 153 The Committee receives additional funding from the Paralympic Foundation of Canada, private and corporate donations.

Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network

The Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network is a group of designated multisport training centres and institutes established in Canada.Footnote 154 The Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network partners with National Sport Organizations to deliver world-class performance services through expert leadership, specialized programs, and integrated sport science and sport medicine services.Footnote 155 It also drives applied sport science research to enhance athlete development and performance and serves as a key performance partner in implementing the National High Performance Strategy’s priorities.Footnote 156

The Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network is recognized and funded (in part) by Sport Canada through the Sport Support Program.Footnote 157 It is also supported by national and provincial partners including Own the Podium, the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Canadian Paralympic Committee, and the Coaching Association of Canada. This network includes five Canadian Sport Institutes (located in Alberta, Quebec, Ontario, the Atlantic Region and the Pacific Region) and two Canadian Sport Centres (located in Manitoba and Saskatchewan).Footnote 158

Own the Podium

Own the Podium plays a unique role among Multisport Services Organizations and at the national level of the Canadian sport system.

The organization was formed in 2005, in anticipation of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games.Footnote 159 Own the Podium was tasked with the following goals:

Own the Podium received considerable recognition for their efforts after Canada won 26 medals at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games and achieved a top three medal count in the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Games with 19 medals.Footnote 161

Own the Podium continues to review athlete, national team and National Sport Organization performances, and makes recommendations for funding to Sport Canada, the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee, with the objective of increasing Canadian medal counts at Olympic and Paralympic Games.Footnote 162 Own the Podium works towards making Canada a world leader in high-performance sport at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and to inspire Canadians to participate in sport.Footnote 163

Own the Podium is a not-for-profit organization incorporated under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act.Footnote 164 The members of the organization are its Directors. Own the Podium receives funding from Sport Canada through the Sport Support Program. In 2023-2024, Own the Podium received $2,810,000 through this program.Footnote 165 It also receives funding from the Canadian Olympic Committee/Canadian Olympic Foundation and the Canadian Paralympic Committee.Footnote 166

Commonwealth Sport Canada

Commonwealth Sport Canada, previously known as Commonwealth Games Canada, is the international franchise holder for the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Sport Movement in Canada. Footnote 167 Its mission is to strengthen the Commonwealth sport movement in Canada and to support high-performance athletes achieve excellence at Major Games.Footnote 168

The Commonwealth Games are fully integrated: they are the only major games to integrate a parasport program and have all athletes participate in the same games and are on the same team.Footnote 169 The 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester marked a historic milestone as the first fully integrated games.Footnote 170 The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games are expected to be the largest integrated parasport program in the Games history, with a record 47 medals in para disciplines.Footnote 171

Of note, the Commonwealth Sport Movement has shown leadership in Indigenous reconciliation in sport by adopting the Commonwealth Sport Lekwungen Declaration on Reconciliation and Partnership with Indigenous Peoples in 2023.Footnote 172 This was later endorsed by Commonwealth Sports Ministers in 2024.Footnote 173 The Commonwealth Indigenous Sport Declaration Working Group that developed the Declaration was comprised of Canadian Indigenous representatives.Footnote 174

Leadership in Indigenous reconciliation in sport continued at the national level under Commonwealth Sport Canada. In particular, in February 2025, Commonwealth Sport Canada became the first national Commonwealth Games association to become a Signatory to the Commonwealth Sport Lekwungen Declaration on Reconciliation and Partnership with Indigenous Peoples.Footnote 175 The Declaration highlights the comprehensive benefits of sports for Indigenous communities, calling for ten specific actions by stakeholders in the sports sector including:

Commonwealth Sport Canada is a not-for-profit organization incorporated under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act.Footnote 177 Its membership is comprised of three categories: Board of Directors, Members-at-Large and National Sport Organizations. The specific National Sport Organizations that are members may vary, depending on which sport is included in the competition program for the next scheduled Commonwealth Games.Footnote 178

In 2023-2024, Commonwealth Games Canada received $390,300 from Sport Canada through the Sport Support Program, and receives additional funding from other sources including National Sport Organizations.Footnote 179

Canada Games Council

The Canada Games Council was created by Federal, Provincial and Territorial governments to steward the growth of the Canada Games Movement.Footnote 180 The Canada Games Council is a responsible for the ongoing development of the Canada Games.

Alternating between winter and summer, the Canada Games span more than 30 different sports and are held under the stewardship of the Canada Games Council who provide continuity, leadership and support.Footnote 181 The 2025 Canada Summer Games will be in St. John’s and the 2027 Canada Winter Games will be in Quebec City.Footnote 182 The Canada Games bring together more than 2,000 athletes, including athletes with physical and intellectual disabilities, for the largest amateur multi-sport event in the country.Footnote 183

As the Canada Games move from one host community to the next, the Canada Games Council provides continuity, leadership and support to Host Societies in such key areas as sport technology, organizational planning, ceremonies and protocol, marketing and sponsorship. It also maintains effective long-term partnerships with National Sport Organizations, governments and the corporate sector.Footnote 184 The Canada Games Council fosters ongoing partnerships with organizations at the municipal, provincial and national levels. The Canada Games Council is a not-for-profit organization incorporated under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act. Its members are its Directors.Footnote 185

In 2023-2024, the Canada Games Council received $1,240,452 from Sport Canada through the Sport Support Program,Footnote 186 and received funds from other sources including game fees and sponsorships.Footnote 187

Coaching Association of Canada

The Coaching Association of Canada is a multisport service organization which educates, certifies, and celebrates coaches. Its programs aim to “empower coaches with knowledge and skills, promote ethics, foster positive attitudes, build competence, and increase the credibility and recognition of coaches.”Footnote 188

The Coaching Association of Canada was established in 1970 as a result of the recommendations from the Task Force on Sport for Canadians.Footnote 189 It has prime responsibility for coordinating and setting standards for the National Coaching Certification Program which provides standardized training to coaches and coach developers in 65 sports and includes the following three streams:

Provincial and territorial partners, such as the Coaching Association of Ontario, along with Provincial and Territorial Sport Organizations, are responsible for delivering the National Coaching Certification Program training.Footnote 191

The Coaching Association of Canada works with international, provincial and territorial partners to develop curriculum and coaching excellence. In addition to the core certification program, the Association has several courses to foster equity, diversity, and inclusion in sport environments.Footnote 192 These include:

As will be further discussed in Chapter 14, the Coaching Association of Canada takes part in several other safe sport initiatives, including the Quality Coaching Campaign to raise awareness about their resources available for coaches, administrators and parents, and the Responsible Coaching Movement, which encourages sport organizations, parents, and coaches to implement responsible coaching practices across Canada. It has also created resources to help sport organizations develop their background screening procedures.

In addition, the Coaching Association of Canada also has several mentorship and apprenticeship programs, as well as research and resources to encourage diversity among coaches and power coaches from all backgrounds.Footnote 200

The Coaching Association of Canada receives funding from Sport Canada through the Sport Support Program, in the amount of $4,764,750 in 2023-2024.Footnote 201 In addition to core funding from Sport Canada, the Coaching Association of Canada has also received funding from other federal government sources to support specific projects. In this respect, the Public Health Agency of Canada announced in 2022 that $2.8 million would be provided to support their work to increase mental health literacy among coaches and community sport leaders,Footnote 202 and in 2025 Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) provided over $1.1 million to enable the launch of the Women and Gender Equality in Coaching Program.Footnote 203 Furthermore, provincial and territorial governments subsidize costs through their designated program delivery agencies to promote and implement the National Coaching Certification Program.Footnote 204

AthletesCAN

AthletesCAN is an independent athlete led organization which represents Canada’s national team athletes. It represents athletes from over 60 different sports from the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American, Parapan American, and Commonwealth Games as well as from sports funded by Sport Canada that hold annual world championships.Footnote 205 AthletesCAN’s mission is to unite and amplify the voices of Canadian national team athletes. Footnote 206

AthletesCAN is a not-for-profit organization incorporated under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act. Their membership includes all athletes who are members of national teams or who have retired from a national team within the past eight years.Footnote 207 In 2023-2024, AthletesCAN received $709,926 funding from Sport Canada through the Sport Support Program.Footnote 208

Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities

Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities is a nationally registered charity that helps children and their families overcome financial barriers to sport and recreation.Footnote 209 Since 2005, the organization has helped more than 3 million Canadian children.Footnote 210 In 2023, it awarded 1,016 community development grants and 29,748 individual child grants to improve affordability of sport.Footnote 211

Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities also provides support to sport organizations to develop resources to improve the quality of sport,Footnote 212 and makes available Respect in Sport training modules to successful Jumpstart grantees.Footnote 213 The organization works with various partners to produce research examining the landscape of sport and play in Canada. For example, Jumpstart partnered with Canadian Women & Sport to produce the Rally ReportFootnote 214 and with the Aspen Institute to produce the Jumpstart State of Play Youth Report 2024Footnote 215.

Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities is a not-for-profit organization incorporated under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act. In 2023-2024, the Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities received $759,400 from Sport Canada through the Sport Support Program.Footnote 216 It also receives provincial government grants, corporate donations and other donations. In 2023, Jumpstart reported $27,663,796 in revenue from Canadian Tire Corporate Ltd and related donors, including employees, dealers and customers.Footnote 217

KidSport Canada

KidSport Canada provides financial assistance for sport registration fees and equipment costs to children.Footnote 218 Through a confidential application process, KidSport provides grants of between $250 and $500. In 2024, the organization assisted 48,145 children.Footnote 219

KidSport Canada has 176 local and provincial chapters. Each chapter raises funds, accepts applications, and distributes grants to children and their families.

KidSport Canada is a not-for-profit organization incorporated under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act.Footnote 220 The organization is currently governed by a 13-person volunteer board of directors.Footnote 221 In 2023-2024, Kidsport Canada received $200,700 under the Sport Support ProgramFootnote 222, and other government grants, donations and corporate support.

Canadian Women and Sport

Established in 1981, Canadian Women and Sport is a national organization whose mission is to create an equitable and inclusive Canadian sport and physical activity system that empowers girls and women to become active participants and leaders within and through sport.Footnote 223

The organization works across the country, engaging with sport organizations, leaders and governments. Their aim is to drive changes in policy and practices, thereby creating safer, more equitable, and more inclusive environments and opportunities for women and girls in sport.Footnote 224

Canadian Women and Sport has numerous programs including the Gender Equity Playbook which teaches sport leaders and organizations how to make sport more inclusive.Footnote 225 Another program is the Retaining Girls in Sport & Physical Activity, a workshop designed to help sport leaders to create lasting solutions to keep girls and women in sport and physical activity.Footnote 226 The organization also generates research on gender equity in sport including the “2022 Rally Report: A Call For Better, Safer Sport for Girls” and the “2024 Rally Report: A Call To Reimagine Sport So All Girls Can Play.”Footnote 227

Canadian Women and Sport is a not-for-profit organization incorporated under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act. It has two categories of members: the current Directors of the corporation, and persons who were Directors in the four years preceding the annual meeting of the corporation.Footnote 228

In 2023-2024, Canadian Women and Sport received $1,458,660 from Sport Canada through the Sport Support Program.Footnote 229 The organization has also received funding from Women and Gender Equality Canada, including $325,000 in 2023 to support the Commercial Women’s Sport Initiative.Footnote 230 Canadian Women and Sport is also supported by some provincial governments, and numerous other organizations including Jumpstart.Footnote 231

Provincial and Territorial Multisport Service Organizations

Multisport Service Organizations at the provincial and territorial level are typically not-for-profit organizations that provide services to the sport community. It is worth noting that some Provincial and Territorial Multisport Service Organizations are branch organizations of national Multisport Service Organizations.

In some provinces and territories, there are Multisport Service Organizations focusing on particular demographics or communities. For example, to address financial barriers, KidSport Ontario provides financial assistance to children for sport registration fees.Footnote 232

Additionally, with the exception of Alberta and Ontario, all provinces and territories have their respective Multisport Service Organizations. They are also referred to as federations and are member-based, not-for-profit organizations that promote and advance amateur sport in their province or territory. Federations primarily support Provincial and Territorial Sport Organizations in their respective jurisdictions.Footnote 233 Some federations also provide support to other Multisport Service Organizations.

Generally, the Provincial and Territorial Sport Organizations who are the governing body for their sport are the members of the federations. In some cases, other Multisport Service Organizations, other than federations, can also form a part of the membership. Some federations also have individual members who typically do not have voting rights.Footnote 234

Although the responsibilities of federations vary per jurisdiction, key activities can include providing administrative support and centralized resources (including resources on safe sport) for their member organizations, learning opportunities and policy guidance. Some governments, like the Government of British Columbia, have also delegated the responsibility to provide funding and grants to their sport federation.Footnote 235

Community Multisport Service Organizations

The Commission was not able to examine all Multisport Service Organizations operating at the community level of sport. However, we acknowledge that many such organizations exist throughout Canada.

Local and community sport councils provide a wide array of services to their communities. Dedicated to enhancing the sporting experience in municipalities, they provide support to sport participants by developing and sharing learning opportunities and education programs, advocating for high-quality sporting participation experiences and providing grants and funding.

Participant perspectives on Multisport Service Organizations

Duplication and overlaps

Some participants commented that there are too many Multisport Service Organizations with overlapping functions and unclear mandates. This has led to inefficiencies and duplications of services, including education, training, certifications and other administrative services.

We were advised that the role and responsibilities of many Multisport Service Organizations are ambiguous, which is further complicated by the fact that some of these organizations operate with self-determined mandates and performance metrics, leading to accountability challenges and misalignment with national objectives.

Many told us that too many Multisport Service Organizations are delivering education programs. The multiplicity of programs makes it difficult to know which program needs to be completed. For example, the Canadian Centre for Ethics and Sport and the Coaching Association of Canada both deliver education for safe sport. This can lead participants to question which organization is the true leader in the field and the definitive source of authoritative information.

Others questioned the model of having different organizations responsible for the international games like the Olympics, Paralympics and the Commonwealth Games. They emphasized that there is little to no collaboration between these organizations, which have similar functions. Participants also noted that there is an overlap among the athletes, coaches and other stakeholders who participate in these games. It was suggested that these Multisport Service Organizations could be consolidated into a single organization.

Additionally, we were informed that collaboration between Multisport Service Organizations is difficult and that while some efforts have been made to increase such collaboration, limited, circumscribed resources have made such attempts challenging, as organizations often find themselves competing for the same funding.

Other participants commented that, in some cases, there is excessive duplication in the work done by Multisport Service Organizations, National Sport Organizations, and provincial and territorial bodies. They noted that there needs to be better collaboration between these organizations, suggesting that efficiency could be found through the potential amalgamation of some of these organizations.

Role and structure of Multisport Service Organizations

We heard concerns that Multisport Service Organizations have too much influence over the delivery of sport programs. Many agreed that the delivery of sport programs should fall to National Sport Organizations, and that Multisport Service Organization should be supporting the operations of National Sport Organizations. Similarly, some participants stated that Multisport Service Organizations receive a disproportionately high amount of funding given their impact on the sport system.

Overall, the Multisport Service Organizations model was described as disjointed, inefficient and overly complex. The system is administratively heavy, as all these organizations are required to have their own governance structures, services and staff. As will be discussed in greater detailed in Chapter 6, these persisting issues related to the fragmented nature of the sport system led some participants to suggest that that these organizations should be centralized or consolidated into a single entity.

Own the Podium

Own the Podium was heavily criticized by numerous individuals and organizations from all levels of sport. A prevailing culture of winning at all costs and the prioritizing of performance is largely attributed to Own the Podium. There is a sense it has changed the culture of sport and the way that sport is developing in Canada.

Since Own the Podium’s funding is tied to performance, National Sport Organizations are prioritizing performance at the national and international levels to the detriment of increasing participation and engaging with the grassroots. We were told that the intense competition for funding is detrimental to sport in Canada. It can cause sport organizations to focus excessively on high-performance, potentially neglecting other priorities within their sport, such as providing leadership in sport development across the nation.

Many suggested that Own the Podium should focus on promoting wellness and growth, and fostering a sport culture from the ground up, and placing more emphasis on grassroots and entry into sport.

It was noted that Own the Podium has shifted its purpose to focus on “winning well,” as opposed to simply winning. We understand that this is meant to emphasize safety and well-being in achieving excellence. However, there were mixed opinions on this “winning well” concept, some questioning whether it was the true vision of Own the Podium or only a change on paper without practical applications.

We were also advised that while the name “Own the Podium” may have been appropriate at the time, it now leaves the impression that winning medals is the only priority in sport. It was suggested that it does not reflect the current beliefs of Canadians, who also value increased participation in sport and creating inclusive sport environments.

Others have criticized Own the Podium for placing a disproportionate emphasis on Olympic athletes, to the detriment of Paralympic athletes. The vast majority of its resources are focused on Olympic performance, while Paralympic sport appears to be a secondary focus. We were informed that there was approximately an 80/20 split in the funding provided by Own the Podium for the Olympics versus the Paralympics.

For many, this significant disparity in funding underscores a fundamental lack of understanding of athletes with disabilities and parasports at Own the Podium. Some called for more paralympic expertise at Own the Podium, and a better understanding of the needs of athletes with disabilities.

Many expressed concerns that Own the Podium and the Canadian Olympic Committee often interfere with the authority and independence of National Sport Organizations, leading to confusion about who staff must report to and how decisions are made. They explained that this is a dangerous structure that undermines the ability of National Sport Organizations to support their athletes and maintain accountability.

Additionally, some participants raised questions of accountability, noting that Own the Podium’s decision-making processes lack clear oversight and transparency in the eyes of the broader public and many of its key stakeholders. It was also noted that there was no clear transparency as to how the funds were allocated or applied.

Other sport and non-sport organizations

A significant proportion of sport organizations in Canada fall outside of the “sport system” described above. We will also briefly outline other organizations that have an impact on amateur sport. These actors include schools and post-secondary learning institutions, not-for-profit sport for development organizations, for-profit sport organizations and professional leagues.

Sport and school environments

Sport plays an important role in Canadian educational institutions, at all levels. The importance of elementary school physical education classes and playground recreational sport was described by many organizations and individuals as a critical introduction to sport for children. Sport also plays an important role at the high school, college and university levels, where there is an increased focus on competitiveness and training for high performance athletes.

For an overwhelming majority of Canadians, schools are where they learn and play sports. Schools often provide children with their first exposure to a wide range of team sports, rules and sporting culture. Furthermore, school equipment and facilities such as gyms, playing fields, and pools, are critical parts of the Canadian sport environment that millions of Canadians use daily.

Schools and school boards

Schools play a particularly critical role in the sport world. They introduce children to positive and healthy physical activity habits, team building, cooperation and skills in learning new sports.

School boardsFootnote 236 are the legal creations of their provincial and territorial governments and have no independent constitutional status.Footnote 237

Physical education teachers and coaches are hired, trained, supervised and potentially disciplined and dismissed by school boards. They may also be subject to discipline through provincial or territorial teacher-disciplinary bodies. However, not all physical education classes are taught by specialized physical education teachers.

We note that some school boards have introduced specialized schools. These schools allow students already engaged in high-performance athletic training programs to attend school with adapted schedules and with specialized support.Footnote 238 Private schools focusing on athletic training and excellence have also emerged in recent years.

Universities and colleges

While university and college sport programs are the largest employer of coaches in Canada, and they represent the single largest sector within the Canadian sport world, universities and colleges remain largely disconnected, if not entirely separate from the sport system, including National Sport Organizations and Provincial and Territorial Sport Organizations.

Some universities are members of U SPORTS and some colleges are members of the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association. U SPORTS and the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association are national Multisport Service Organizations. Both receive funding from Sport Canada through the Sport Support Program. In 2023-2024, U SPORTS received $959,850 and the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association received $406,700 through this program.Footnote 239

U SPORTS is the national governing body for Canadian university sport. U SPORTS oversees 21 annual national championships.

As the Canadian franchise holder of the International University Sports Federation, U SPORTS offers student-athletes the opportunity to represent Canada at the World University Games as well as to participate in national championships.Footnote 240

U SPORTS also provides scholarship opportunities to assist student-athletes fund their studies.Footnote 241 The members of U SPORTS are Canadian universities, divided into four regional Conferences: Canada West, Ontario University Athletics, Reseau du Sport Étudiant du Québec, and Atlantic University Sport.Footnote 242 There are currently 58 member universities, covering approximately 15,000 athletes and 700 coaches.Footnote 243

The Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association is the national coordinating body for college sport in Canada. It provides leadership, programs and services that foster student-athlete development through intercollegiate sport. It is the largest intercollegiate sport organization in Canada with 98 member institutions representing six regional member conferences: Pacific Western Athletic Association in British Columbia, Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference in Alberta and Saskatchewan, Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference in Manitoba, Ontario Colleges Athletic Association in Ontario, Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec in Québec, and Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.Footnote 244

In total, the Association caters to 7,500 intercollegiate athletes, over 900 coaches, and more than 150 sport administrators. Its membership consists of a wide variety of post-secondary institutions, including community colleges, universities, university-colleges, CEGEPsFootnote 245 and technical Institutes.

Not-For-Profit Sport for Development and Peace Organizations

There are countless not-for-profit organizations that utilize sport for development and peace, aiming to address social challenges and promote positive changes in communities. These organizations differ from others in the sense that participation in sport is a means to an end, rather than the final goal. Given our mandate, the Commission did not specifically examine not-for-profit sport for development and peace organizations but notes that such organizations exist in Canada and internationally at all levels of sport. Such organizations typically address “the organization and mobilization of sport to meet non-sport goals of international development, such as health promotion, gender empowerment, education, and peace building and conflict resolution.”Footnote 246

A notable example is Commonwealth Sport Canada (discussed above). Among its range of more traditional responsibilities, it also provides sport for development programming to promote individual and community social development. The organization shares Canadian sport knowledge, expertise and resources, and participates in Commonwealth Sport programs and initiatives.Footnote 247 Commonwealth Sport Canada has led over 125 international initiatives that focus on empowering women and girls, promoting gender equity, developing, raising awareness and preventing HIV/AIDS, and building sport capacity.Footnote 248

Sport for development and peace is also used domestically. Many sport organizations utilize sport for development and peace at the community level of sport. These organizations generally focus on creating supportive and safe environments and building resilient communities. In the youth context, Sport for Development is about fostering an environment were “youth can develop as people.”Footnote 249

We also note that other organizations operate in Canada outside the traditional sport ecosystem. These organizations offer single or multi-sport services at the community level and include 2SLGBTQI+ led initiatives, Indigenous-led sport and recreation organizations and programs, and volunteer-run programs.

Private for-profit clubs and institutes

There is a growing number of private for-profit clubs and institutes worldwide. These have grown in response to a rising demand from parents and young athletes who are eager to access sport, particularly elite and professional sport. Basketball, for example, has significantly grown in popularity over the last decade, which has resulted in an increased demand for opportunities to play.Footnote 250 As a result, there has been a proliferation of private basketball clubs. A growing number of private clubs has also been observed in gymnastics, martials arts, cheer, figure skating, golf and equestrian.

Although not specific to private for-profit clubs, the “Jumpstart State of Play Youth Report 2024” notes that a higher proportion of youth are registered to play sport at clubs compared to afterschool programs, recreation centres or schools.Footnote 251 Some of these for-profit clubs and institutes are home grown. Others are from other countries or encourage participants to attend foreign (particularly the United States) colleges and universities on athletic scholarships. For-profit clubs and institutes generally operate at the community level of sport.

For example, an institute outside of Toronto offers high-performance sport training at the high school level for nearly $30,000 per year. This fee includes boarding, book, student athletic fees, and other additional expenses. The institute also offers summer academy camps, with options for day and overnight stays at varying prices.

These private for-profit clubs and institutes are largely disconnected from National Sport Organizations and Provincial and Territorial Sport Organizations. A few National Sport Organizations such as Basketball Canada and Canada Soccer programs to accredit or license clubs. For example, Canada Basketball has the club Verification Program and Canada Soccer has its Club Licensing Program.Footnote 252

Generally, the purpose of these programs is to enhance the professionalism of clubs by increasing accountability, and setting standards to create safe sport environments by requiring, for example, safe sport training and the adoption of policy suites.Footnote 253 During the first year of operation of Canada Basketball’s Verification Program, 38 of the 300 local basketball clubs were verified.Footnote 254

Professional sport leagues

Although professional sport leagues fall outside the Commission’s mandate, they are a critical part of the sport environment. For many Canadians, they are woven into the fabric of Canadian culture and community. Their presence and profile have a particularly profound impact on the aspirations and activities of Canadian youth.

Professional sport leagues include, to name a few: the National Hockey League and Professional Women’s Hockey League, the Major League Baseball the Women’s National Basketball League, the National Basketball Association, the National Lacrosse League, the Canadian Football League, the Major League Soccer,the Canadian Premier League, and the Northern Super League.

The growing appeal of professional sports has had a significant impact on sport organizations, schools and coaches, as young people in Canada and elsewhere are inspired by dreams of success, fame and fortune. Nevertheless, it is important to emphasize that such aspirations become reality for only a small number of athletes.

The growth of women’s professional sport leagues in Canada has also been notable with the introduction of the Women’s National Basketball Association, the Northern Super League and the Professional Women’s Hockey League. As women’s professional sport continues to grow, so too does the percentage of girls involved in sport and physical activity.Footnote 255

Participant perspectives on other sport and non-sport organizations

School environments

Throughout our engagement activities, the importance of scholastic and varsity sports was highlighted by many participants, including student-athletes. Yet, for the most part, universities and colleges exist outside of the sport system. Relationships with National Sport Organizations are limited. We learned that certain sports in Canadian universities are not “recognized” despite offering high-quality competition and that these sports only exist as “clubs.”

We heard that university and college sport should become more integrated with National Sport Organizations and their programs to ensure greater accountability of these institutions. The absence of parasports from university and college sport was also noted, and it was recommended that the programming of post-secondary sports should be expanded to include parasports.

Schools have historically been important sources of free or low-cost youth sport opportunities. In this respect, the Commission heard many regrets from many parts of the sport world about the diminishing hours of mandatory physical education in elementary schools and the lack of consistent mandatory physical education in secondary schools.

Although sport programs offered by schools still exist, we were advised that these programs are in decline. In addition to recommending the reinstatement of these programs and increasing the physical education hours, some suggested that schools could be used to increase access to sport by, for example, providing after-hours programs and activities for youth.

We were also informed that the number of trained physical education teachers has fallen dramatically. Consequently, most physical activity and extracurricular sport opportunities in school systems are provided by regular teaching staff who lack specialized training. This often results in very poorly organized sport with unstructured approaches. This was also highlighted as a problem because regular teaching staff do not necessarily have the pedagogic, sport and coaching knowledge or experience required to teach sport and create safe sport environments in schools.

Some participants advocated for creating pathways and increasing collaboration between the sport system and the education system. The goal would be to create resources to support teachers, principals and other actors in schools who are on the front lines of delivering sport programs in such settings. It was suggested that there should be forums for collaboration between teachers and coaches, where teachers can learn how to teach sport and receive crucial education on safe sport.

We were advised that the foundational role of physical education and school sport must be recognized and prioritized as a cornerstone of equity and inclusion. They provide opportunities for youth to access sport and movement, fostering lifelong benefits and ensuring that everyone starts on a level playing field.

On a similar topic, participants recommended that parasport be included in the physical education curricula for all children and that the necessary equipment be made readily available, such as sport chairs and storage space for personal adaptive equipment.

School sports tend to be more affordable and accessible because they take place within the school context. However, there are fewer school sport team opportunities for a multitude of factors, including the lack of teachers having the capacity to take on the additional and unpaid role of coaching a school team. Where school sport is not available, the alternative is club sports which can be costly.

A lack of facilities was identified as a barrier to the ability of clubs and other organizations to provide opportunities to participate in sport. Some suggested that partnering with school boards to provide after-hours access to school facilities could be a viable solution to this problem. We were advised that this is particularly important in rural communities where schools are sometimes the only available indoor spaces that can accommodate sport programs. Many felt that gyms in schools should be considered as community gyms and that schools should facilitate community access.

Typically, access to schools and their sport facilities is controlled by school boards. In some communities, appropriate partnerships between school boards and Community Sport Organizations develop and they successfully share facilities. Some boards have policies which allow local clubs and associations to use the fields and gyms after school hours during evenings, weekends and the summer.

Yet, for the most part, schools remain empty after hours and over the summer. We were told that the process to get school board approval was often too complicated, and in many instances, access was denied. That said, we were also informed that some school boards have concerns related to safety, liability and the maintenance costs associated with opening their facilities to the public.

Not-for-profit organizations

The Commission was frequently told of the invaluable nature of not-for-profit organizations that bring together communities and offer opportunities to members of marginalized communities to participate in sport. We were advised that innovative programs are more trusted and effective at the community level, especially among equity-deserving population.

Because they exist outside of the “sport system,” this segment of the sport community is beyond the purview and oversight of National, Provincial and Territorial Sport Organizations. That said, for many, it is of the utmost importance that these organizations retain their autonomy. We were advised that these organizations should not be forced into the formal dynamic that usually exists between National Sport Organizations, Provincial and Territorial Sport Organizations and clubs. This is especially the case for culturally or community-based organizations.

Instead of “formalizing” not-for-profit organizations, it was suggested that they should be recognized and respected as essential parts of a pluralistic sport ecosystem, and that they should be engaged as partners. To promote alignment with the sport system, standards regarding safety, coaching, and accessibly could be created to guide and support not-for-profit organizations without forcing conformity.

A consistent issue raised by not-for-profit organizations, which also applies more broadly throughout the sport system, was the insufficient number of facilities. Many of these organizations rely on school and municipal facilities to deliver their sport program, but these are in short supply while demand is high.

Private for-profit clubs and associations

We heard about the challenges posed by the increasing number of private for-profit clubs and associations operating throughout the country. There has been a significant growth in Academies associated with professional and semi-professional sport teams. The sheer scale and growth of this sector are not necessarily apparent to many in Canada and present both challenges and opportunities for the Canadian sport community.

Many participants in our engagement process expressed skepticism regarding these private organizations. Their primary motivation, it was suggested, is financial gain rather than providing access to safe and inclusive sport and supporting athletes, many of whom are youth. Indeed, we were advised of the high costs associated with such organizations. For this reason, it was affirmed that the goals of these private associations are incompatible with what is known to be best for children. It was also asserted that community focused, not-for-profit clubs and organizations and schools were often better suited to provide overall sport programing for kids.

We also heard issues related to the governance of private clubs. On several occasions, we were told that the boards of directors of these organizations are frequently made up of athletes’ parents and others who lack the necessary knowledge, experience, expectations and approaches to appropriately govern the organization. Others told us of unchecked favouritism in team selections and rampant conflicts of interest.

Participants also expressed concerns with the lack of oversight over these for-profit associations, as National, Provincial and Territorial Sport Organizations have no leverage over them. The need for increased accountability and transparency from these organizations was also emphasized on numerous occasions.

It has been noted that private organizations may be owned by coaches who impose rules and conditions that are restrictive, limit parental participation, and mandate non-disclosure agreements. This can result in the arbitrary expulsion of children whose parents express concerns over behaviours or practices occurring in such settings.

We also heard concerns about the degree to which parents contribute to problems in these private settings, often as a result of unrealistic or disproportionate expectations of their children’s athletic potential.

We learned that National Sport Organizations do not have the resources to monitor, oversee or compel clubs nor mechanisms to collaborate or communicate with them. The lack of relationship between National Sport Organizations and private clubs, and their increasing number, threatens to further fragment the sport system.

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2025-08-28