VICTORIA, January 20, 2022

Making sport more accessible to all is a priority for the Government of Canada.

The Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, hosted a virtual roundtable today with representatives from the Aboriginal Sport Circle and its Western chapters: Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council (British Columbia), Indigenous Sport Council of Alberta, Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (Saskatchewan), Manitoba Aboriginal Sports & Recreation Council Inc., Yukon Aboriginal Sport Circle, and Aboriginal Sports Circle of the Northwest Territories.

The goal of the roundtable was to allow the participants to share their respective reality as they weather the pandemic and to listen to their concerns. These organizations make a significant contribution to the Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities initiative, which focuses on sport as an important tool for social change. Each year, more than $2,5 million is distributed to six Provincial/Territorial Aboriginal Sport Bodies (PTASBs) in Western Canada so they can organize sport for social development projects in their communities.

Minister St‑Onge continued her virtual meeting by speaking with leaders from the Free Play for Kids organization, which works to provide vulnerable children in the Edmonton area with the opportunity to play sport in a safe, accessible and inclusive environment at no cost to them or their families. This organization is a funding recipient of Sport Canada’s Innovation Initiative. It received more than $540,000 over three years to conduct a pilot project to promote leadership in sport for newcomer and minority youth.

Finally, Minister St‑Onge concluded her meeting by speaking with Sport for Life Society, an organization that collaborates with key stakeholders to improve quality sport and physical literacy through the Canadian sport system. Thanks to Sport Canada’s funding, Sport for Life Society is also supporting the development of sport initiatives for Indigenous youth and gender equity in sport across the country.

This virtual tour with sport partners was the second in a series of regional visits designed to strengthen connections and collaboration with the Canadian sport community.