Backgrounder - Government of Canada Supports the 2012 Arctic Winter Games in Whitehorse
The Government of Canada is investing close to $1 million to support a series of activities and objectives related to the 2012 Arctic Winter Games.
This federal investment includes $515,000 from Canadian Heritage (Sport Canada). The Arctic Winter Games are recognized as an important international sport event that contributes to increasing equity and access for under-represented groups to participate in sport. A number of participants belong to the targeted under-represented groups, such as Aboriginal peoples, youth at risk and girls and young women. The Arctic Winter Games also provides a forum to increase partnerships within the national sport community.
The investment also includes $295,000 from the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) to provide support for the marketing and cultural program implementation of the Games. The funding will also support a mining industry engagement session that will use the Games as a venue to promote potential job opportunities in the mining industry to Games participants.
Canadian Heritage is also providing funding of $150,000 to the Whitehorse 2012 Arctic Winter Games Host Society, which will present a cultural festival during the Games. The 2012 Arctic Winter Games Cultural Festival will feature various youth, community and professional artists from the circumpolar North in over 50 performances, workshops and exhibits. Disciplines will include music, dance, storytelling, visual arts and new media.
The Arctic Winter Games is a high-profile circumpolar sport competition for northern and arctic athletes. The Games have been taking place across the North since 1970 and provide an opportunity for the celebration of sport, social exchange, and cultures. The Games provide a unique opportunity for athletes not only to compete, but to interact with one another and foster cultural exchange.
The 2012 Games will see athletes competing from Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Nunavik (Northern Quebec), Northern Alberta, Alaska, Greenland, the Russian region of Yamal, and the Sapmi Region (Sweden, Norway, Finland and Russia).
The 2012 Arctic Winter Games will feature 19 sports, including, alpine skiing, Arctic sports, badminton, basketball, biathlon, cross country skiing, curling, Dene games, dog mushing, figure skating, gymnastics, ice hockey, indoor soccer, snowboarding, snowshoeing, speed skating, table tennis, volleyball, and wrestling.
Sport Canada's funding is made possible through the International Multisport Games for Aboriginal Peoples and Persons with a Disability (IMGAPPD) component of the Hosting Program. The Hosting Program provides a planned and coordinated approach to realizing direct and significant benefits from bidding and hosting projects in the areas of sport development, economic, social, cultural, and community impacts, across a broad range of Government priorities. The IMGAPPD component provides quality competition opportunities for designated under-represented groups which face systemic barriers to sport participation, such as Aboriginal peoples and persons with disabilities.
CanNor's investment is made possible through its Strategic Investments in Northern Economic Development (SINED) initiative, which focuses on long-term economic growth, economic diversification and capacity building in all three territories. CanNor is responsible for coordinating and delivering Canada's economic development across the North, and for related policy development and research.
Canadian Heritage has provided funding through the Canada Arts Presentation Fund (CAPF), which gives Canadians increased access to the variety and richness of Canada's culture through professional arts festivals, presentations of live professional performances, and other artistic experiences.
