GATINEAU, February 1, 2022

Removing barriers and increasing sport participation rates for underrepresented populations is a priority for the Government of Canada.

To support organized sport at the community level and help Canadians recover from the impacts of COVID-19, the Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, announced today the launch of the application period for the Community Sport for All Initiative.

The Government of Canada is committed to building stronger and healthier communities across the country. The transformative power of sport plays an important role in achieving this goal. It builds self-esteem and leadership skills and allows children and youth to grow and thrive—physically, emotionally and socially.

National-level organizations or those able to implement projects in more than one province or territory are invited to submit their proposals by April 4, 2022. Proposals selected for funding should work with community-based groups to undertake activities aimed at addressing barriers to participation in sport, particularly among Black, Indigenous, racialized, 2SLGBTQQIA+, low-income and newcomer communities.

Budget 2021 proposed providing $80 million over two years to remove barriers to participation in sport programming and to help community organizations kick-start accessible local organized sports.