MONTRÉAL, September 23, 2005 -- The Honourable Stephen Owen, Minister of Western Economic Diversification and Minister of State (Sport) today announced an investment of more than $1.19 million in the Canadian Sport Centres located in Montréal and Québec City, Quebec. The funds will enable the Centres to provide essential support services for high-performance athletes and coaches in targeted sports. "The Government of Canada and its partners are committed to supporting the network of Canadian Sport Centres across the country," said Minister Owen. "The Canadian Sport Centres are an essential element of the training and development of an athlete. As we look toward 2006, 2008, 2010 and beyond, we must ensure that Canada's best athletes and coaches have the resources and support they need to help them reach their full potential and to achieve podium results.""Athletes work hard to achieve excellence. The services provided by the Canadian Sport Centres to the athletes in our province will help our athletes reach a higher level of performance," said the Honourable Eleni Bakopanos, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Social Development with Special Emphasis on Social Economy and Member of Parliament (Ahuntsic).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."Support for the Canadian Sport Centres is a key component of the Own the Podium program that, in turn, will play an integral role in our goal of success at the 2010 Games", said John Furlong, Chief Executive Officer of the Organizing Committee for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. "The road to peak performance by the Canadian team in 2010 is paved with this kind of support to key facilities that are literally home'&mash;across Canada—to Canadian athletes.""By providing essential sport science and medicine services, the Canadian Sport Centres play a significant role in the development of our athletes," 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 goals 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's 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) 954-1110 Marie-Chantal HamelPolitical AssistantOffice of the Honourable Eleni Bakopanos(514) 383-3709 Jean-Guy BeaupréChief, Media RelationsCanadian Heritage(819) 997-9314
