High-performance support

Review of Sport Canada’s Targeted Excellence Approach – Final Report

This report presents the results of a review of the Government of Canada’s approach to Targeted Excellence funding for Olympic and Paralympic sports.

The final report is available in the Open Government Portal.

In order for our most talented athletes to be able to perform at the highest levels of competition, they require highly-specialized coaching, facilities, athlete services and direct financial support. In turn, athletes are expected to demonstrate a strong commitment to succeed at the highest international level and to show respect for, and adhere to, rules and ethics.

To effectively deliver high-performance sport, fundamental elements are necessary including:

  • coaching and technical leadership
  • daily access to quality training environment and facilities
  • ability to compete internationally
  • opportunities to compete against international athletes at events in Canada
  • direct funding through the Athlete Assistance Program
  • research and innovation in training methods and equipment design
  • development of qualified and ethical officials
  • athlete recruitment and talent development
  • support for athletes during their athletic careers to assist when they retire from sport

The financial support of these elements requires coordination and communication among governments and key stakeholders.

Own the Podium

Own the Podium (OTP) is a partnership between the major national funding partners for high-performance sport in Canada: Sport Canada, the Canadian Olympic Committee and the Canadian Paralympic Committee.

OTP supports Canada's National Sport Organizations (NSOs) in their goal to increase medal counts by Canadian athletes at Olympic and Paralympic Summer and Winter Games; and Canadian Sport Centres/Institutes to provide sport science and medicine services to them. Its role, as an advisory body, is to make funding recommendations to the national funding partners (including targeted Sport Canada funding through the Sport Support Program). OTP also works with Sport Canada to monitor NSOs' implementation of their high-performance programs to ensure maximum performance results.

As an advisory body, OTP makes recommendations to the funding partners on close to $70 million in existing funding from government and non-government sources to support winter and summer sport excellence in Olympic and Paralympic sports. OTP represents a new way of achieving high-performance sport objectives. Pooled resources, expert based decision making, and targeted sport funding are just a few of the defining characteristics of OTP that will help Canada achieve its international performance objectives.

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