VICTORIA, July 5, 2022

The Government of Canada is committed to building stronger, 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 people to grow and thrive—physically, emotionally and socially.”

To support organized sport at the community level, 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 that Rowing Canada Aviron, as a national-level organization, will receive $885,000 in funding in 2022–23 from the Community Sport for All initiative.

Rowing Canada Aviron clubs will be invited to submit their applications to Rowing Canada Aviron to receive community-level project funding, which will be distributed starting this summer. Proposed activities will address barriers to participation in sport, particularly among Black, Indigenous and racialized communities, 2SLGBTQQIA+ groups, low-income or newcomer populations, as well as people with disabilities.

Minister St-Onge also took the opportunity to announce support for rowing through Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan). PacifiCan will be providing $500,500 in Canada Community Revitalization Fund (CCRF) support to the Canadian Amateur Rowing Association.

The funding will help the association establish a new national training centre and home for rowing in the Cowichan Valley by enabling infrastructure upgrades, including new parking spaces, sustainable and accessible paths, a staging area, coach boathouse and docks for launching watercraft.

Rowing Canada Aviron, Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities and KidSport Canada are the first three national-level funding recipients being announced under the Community Sport for All Initiative. More opportunities for community-based groups to apply for funding will come soon as all national-level recipients will be announced this summer. The role of the national-level recipients is to redistribute funding to community-based groups.

As announced in Budget 2021, up to $80 million over two years will be distributed across the country. The investment will help kick-start accessible local organized sports and remove barriers to participation in sport programming.