WINNIPEG, September 23, 2005 -- The Honourable Stephen Owen, Minister of Western Economic Diversification and Minister of State (Sport) today announced an investment of $355,000 in the Canadian Sport Centre -- Manitoba located in Winnipeg. The funds will enable the Centre to provide essential support services for high-performance athletes and coaches in targeted sports. "The Government of Canada, together with its partners, is committed to supporting the network of Canadian Sport Centres across the country," said Minister Owen. "As we build a leading sport nation, we must ensure that Canada's best athletes and coaches have access to specialized services that meet their needs to help them achieve their full potential. The Canadian Sport Centres offer these key resources and services that support athletes' training and coaches' development.""Athletes work hard to achieve excellence. The services provided by the Canadian Sport Centres to the athletes in the province of Manitoba will help our athletes reach a higher level of performance," said Minister Reg Alcock, President of the Treasury Board and Minister Responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board.This investment will be directed to two key areas: the creation of Performance Enhancement Teams and support for sport science and medicine services. Performance Enhancement Teams are multi-disciplinary teams of sport science, medicine, and technical experts who will provide advice to national team coaches and athletes. Sport science and medicine services include physiological testing, psychological consultation, and physiotherapy."By providing essential sport science and medicine services, the Canadian Sport Centres play a significant role in athletes' development," said COC Chief Executive Officer Chris Rudge. "These support services can make the difference between an athlete finishing on or off the podium. They will be instrumental in helping us achieve our Own the Podium goal of a top three result at the Olympic Winter Games in Turin and a first place finish in Vancouver in 2010."These funds are part of an overall partnership contribution, with the Canadian Olympic Committee and the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Organizing Committee, of more than $10 million to the eight Canadian Sport Centres across Canada. The funds are based on recommendations from the Canadian Sport Review Panel and the Own the Podium program.The Canadian Sport Centres, located across Canada, were created in partnership with the COC, the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC), the provincial governments, and Sport Canada. The Centre activities are intended to complement national sport organization programming in the pursuit of high-performance excellence. Sport Canada's funding for the Centres reflects the federal government's continued commitment to supporting high-performance athletes and to the development of the Canadian sport system. Funding from the Government of Canada was made available through Budget 2005, which saw the Government's investment in sport development increase to $140 million, its highest level ever. This investment in the Canadian sport system also complements the $27 million provided directly to Canadian athletes through the Athlete Assistance Program and other funding provided for activities, such as the hosting of sport events in Canada. The Government of Canada is committed to high-performance sport development and to stable long-term funding for the Canadian sport system and athletes.Information:Renée GillenPress SecretaryOffice of the Minister of Western Economic Diversification and Minister of State (Sport)(613) 954-1110Jean-Guy BeaupréChief, Media RelationsCanadian Heritage(819) 997-9314
