The Government of Canada announces the successful applicant to the Call for Proposals for the Sport Support Program’s Independent Safe Sport Mechanism to address issues of harassment, abuse and discrimination

“We have heard the calls from the sport community for a safe, independent and trusted space to address maltreatment in sport. It is crucial that victims feel that they can speak out, call attention to harmful behaviour and challenge the system to be better. This new independent mechanism will give them the opportunity to do so in a supported environment.”

—The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage

“This new Safe Sport mechanism will oversee the implementation of the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport, which was recently developed by the sport community to help prevent abuse and harassment in sport. Our government is grateful for all the work that has gone into this, we are heartened to see this develop as we keep putting our athletes first. This is a great opportunity to come together, and continue being strong advocates for a sport system built on the foundations of respect, safety, integrity and inclusion.”

—Adam van Koeverden, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth and to the Minister of Canadian Heritage (Sport)

“We are proud to be awarded this mandate, which has tremendous potential to create lasting benefits for generations of athletes in this country. The SDRCC team is committed to upholding integrity and fairness in the sport system and to fostering safe sport experiences for participants at all levels.”

—Marie-Claude Asselin, Chief Executive Officer, Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada

• The proposals received were reviewed and assessed by a 12-member committee made up of independent subject matter experts in the prevention of maltreatment, government representatives, athlete representatives and individuals identified by the sport community to represent national sport organizations and national multisport service organizations.

• The mission of the SDRCC is to provide expertise and assistance to the sport community to help prevent and resolve disputes at the highest levels in the sport sector.

• The SDRCC previously established the Canadian Sport Helpline project to provide professional listening and referral services by phone or text at 1-888-83-SPORT (77678) or by email at info@abuse-free-sport.ca, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time, seven days a week. The Helpline is meant to be a reference source to other existing resources across the country and will be a key component of the new mechanism’s complaint intake and triaging process. The contact information stays the same.  

Associated links

• Sport Canada
• Independent Safe Sport Mechanism Call for Proposals
• Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport
• Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada
• Canadian Sport Helpline
• Red Deer Declaration for the Prevention of Harassment, Abuse and Discrimination in Sport

For more information (media only), please contact:

Lorraine Fabre
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage
lorraine.fabre@canada.ca

Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819-994-9101
1-866-569-6155
pch.media-media.pch@canada.ca