Backgrounder – Parliamentary Secretary Adam van Koeverden announces new funding to remove barriers and improve inclusivity in Canadian sport

Funding will help Canadian Blind Hockey support outreach and recruitment initiatives for blind hockey in 17 communities across Canada. All Canadian Blind Hockey clubs will receive program guides that will help them to:

1. lead both general and targeted Try Blind Hockey sessions; and,
2. recruit session participants to join regular weekly programming.

These initiatives aim to reach the following equity deserving groups across Canada: persons who are blind or partially sighted, including those who are Black, Indigenous, persons of colour, or newcomers.

The funding will help Volleyball Canada support approximately 10 to 20 Indigenous communities to deliver quality volleyball programs in areas with historically limited access. Funding will be allocated through an open call to communities. Indigenous liaison partners, along with Volleyball Quebec and a social worker in the Nunavik region, will work with Volleyball Canada to connect with communities who have an interest in delivering the programs. There are three types of programs based on age – 8 to 12, 13 to 18, and adult – and all programs will include newly developed community resource guides, coach and learning facilitator training, and equipment.

This initiative aims to reach the following equity-deserving groups and regions: Indigenous communities in Quebec (including Nunavik).

Judo Canada will launch the program Judo for All, aimed at bringing 375 children/youth between the ages of 5-14 to participate in judo programming. This will reach across 15 Judo Clubs in 10 cities across 7 different provinces.

This initiative aims to reach the following equity-deserving groups: newcomers, refugees, and low-income/economic immigrants.

Physical and Health Education Canada will run a new program called Access to Action. It is a macro-granting, community activation initiative that will advance sport and physical activity opportunities for equity-deserving children and youth, and build bridges between schools and their local sport communities. Programing will include various sporting opportunities. Specific sports offered through the programming will be determined through the application process.

This initiative aims to reach the following equity-deserving groups: Indigenous, Black, 2SLGBTQI+, and newcomers, through PHE Canada’s existing networks in all provinces and territories, to support children and youth between the ages of 5-17.

Special Olympics Canada provides sport participation opportunities to youth from equity-deserving groups, including those with an intellectual disability. With this support, Special Olympics Canada will target four of its 12 provincial/territorial Chapters that have previously established partnerships or relationships with these groups, to leverage the opportunity and deliver sport initiatives.

The project will focus on youth (21 years and under) and aim to enhance program opportunities for equity-deserving groups. This funding will be used to build on a strong infrastructure with established programs and reach a larger audience of equity-deserving individuals.

The funding will help Squash Canada implement their Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility Fund program, which provides grants to community organizations and provincial/territorial sport organizations to initiate and/or expand participation-oriented programming for Canadians from underrepresented groups. Funding will also be used to support urban squash centres to lead, launch, and strengthen youth programs that enable and empower students to access and succeed in quality education, squash training, and character development opportunities.

The Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility Fund initiative aims to reach a wide variety of equity-deserving groups across Canada. The Urban Squash Centres initiative aims to reach racialized, Black, visible minority, new Canadian, and low-income communities in urban centres across Canada.

The funding will allow Women's Para Hockey of Canada to open a call for applications from its partners, with the goal to engage girls and women in para hockey in underserved communities.

This initiative targets the following equity groups and regions: people with disabilities, including Black, Aboriginal, racialized, 2SLGBTQI+, low income and newcomers in several regions such as British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and the Northwest Territories.

Cross Country Ski de fond Canada will provide opportunities for underrepresented groups to engage in first time and/or tailored cross country ski experiences with reduced barriers to participation.

These initiatives aim to reach the following equity deserving groups and regions: Black participants, Indigenous participants, 2SLGBTQI+, and newcomers.

The Kenyan Canadian Association will use funding to deliver the project titled Nurturing Long-Distance Running Among Canadians of East African Origin. The project is designed to provide grants to support new and culturally appropriate long-distance running programs and leadership development to East African Canadians, including newcomers to Canada.

This project aims to reach the following equity-deserving groups and regions: newcomers to Canada and Canadians of East African origin from Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba.

Right to Play International will initiate a project called Building Sport Capacity in Partnership with Indigenous Communities. The aim of this program is to engage with a community mentor in 12 Indigenous communities across Canada to provide eight hours of direct sport programing each week to Indigenous children and youth. Right to Play will distribute grants to the community partners listed below to hire a Community Mentor in each community and to provide a programing budget.

This initiative aims to reach the following equity-deserving groups and regions: Alexander First Nation, AB; Fishing Lake Metis Settlement, AB; Driftpile Cree Nation, AB; Osoyoos Indian Band, BC; Tk’emlups te Secwepemc, BC; Williams Lake First Nation, BC; Kitselas First Nation, BC; Kingsclear First Nation, NB; Aamjiwnaang First Nation, ON; Sheguiandah First Nation, ON; White Buffalo Youth Lodge, SK; Champagne & Aishihik First Nations, YK.