Athletes and Coaches to Get Additional Federal Support
OTTAWA, January 22, 1998 -- Minister of Canadian Heritage Sheila Copps today announced funding of $10 million a year for five years for sport in Canada. This additional funding will begin in the 1998-99 fiscal year."When one of our athletes succeeds on the world stage, all Canadians, from every walk of life and every corner of our nation share in that victory," said Minister Copps. "That is what this announcement is all about and indeed, that is what Canada is all about."
The new funding will be directed to three areas: training and competition opportunities for athletes; coaching support; and direct assistance to athletes. The funding will be provided in partnership with National Sport Organizations, National Sport Centres, and National Multi-Sport Organizations. In all these programming areas, the Government of Canada will continue to underline the importance of equity and access for women, athletes with a disability, and Aboriginal people. This additional funding will enable the federal government to deliver on a promise made to Canadians in the Red Book.
"This is particularly good news for athletes and coaches," added Minister Copps. "Last April, I met with a group of athletes, coaches, and other sport leaders to discuss what the federal government could do to help them reach their full potential. The programming supported by this new funding is the result of these consultations and others which have taken place during the last two years."
Nearly half of the new funds will be used to provide more opportunities for athletes to train and compete, particularly in international events.
About one-third will be used to develop and employ the finest Canadian coaches. The intention is to double the number of federally funded, full-time high-performance coaches and help create numerous part-time coaching positions. Particular emphasis will be placed on increasing the number of female coaches and coaches of athletes with a disability. Support will also be provided for the development of Aboriginal coaches.
The rest of the funds will be allocated to Sport Canada's Athlete Assistance Program to provide direct support to an additional 300 developing high performance athletes to help offset their living and training expenses. One hundred of these will be athletes with a disability. Approximately 850 athletes now receive direct support from the Government of Canada.
Information:
Michel Briskin
Acting Communications Advisor
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage
(819) 997-7788
Len Westerberg
Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
(819) 994-5589
Information on Sport Canada policies and programs is available on request by dialling (819) 994-5589.
Additional information is also available on Sport Canada's web site,
http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/sc/index_e.cfm.
BACKGROUNDER
GOVERNMENT OF CANADA:
ADDITIONAL SPORT FUNDING OVERVIEW
The Government of Canada has approved the allocation of additional resources to assist Canadian high performance athletes achieve the best results possible in international competition.
Incremental funding of $10 million per annum will be allocated for the 1998-1999 to 2002-2003 fiscal years.
The objective of the funding is to:
1) increase access to quality training and international competition opportunities for high performance athletes;
2) employ additional full-time high performance coaches, enhance the salary levels of coaches and support professional development and training opportunities for coaches; and
3) directly support additional high performance athletes.
Funds will be used to support athletes, coaches and the training and competition necessary to achieve world class performances in both the short and long term. The new initiatives will enhance Sport Canada's efforts related to access and equity for traditionally under-represented groups, including women, athletes with a disability and Aboriginal people as well as the practice of sport through fair and ethical means.
The federal government supports the achievement of high performance athletic excellence, advancing the values inherent in sport -- excellence, fairness and teamwork.
This initiative fulfills the commitment in Securing our Future Together of providing additional funding to athletes and National Sport Organizations (NSOs).
Seeing Canadian athletes represent Canada on the world stage provides Canadians with a strong sense of national pride. Canada's high performance athletes are excellent role models for all Canadians and particularly our youth. Their achievements instill pride and inspire Canadian youth to pursue excellence in sport and other endeavours. Our athletes also serve as international ambassadors, reflecting Canadian values to the world at large. Sport provides Canadian youth with important opportunities for personal development as well as employment skills, through specialized training and experiences.
Today, Canada is a respected and successful sporting nation. At the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, Canada placed eleventh, based on the number of medals won, and at the 1994 Winter Olympic Games, Canada ranked fifth overall.
At the 1996 Summer Paralympics in Atlanta, Canada finished seventh overall with 71 medals out of 120 countries. At the 1994 Winter Paralympics, Canadians brought home seven medals, finishing thirtheenth overall out of 30 countries.
BACKGROUNDER
GOVERNMENT OF CANADA:
ADDITIONAL SPORT FUNDING -- TRAINING AND COMPETITION
OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE ATHLETES
Nearly half of the new funds will be directed toward training and competition opportunities for high performance athletes.
Canadian athletes require increased access to training and high-calibre international competitions. An analysis of national team programs reveals that, due to funding constraints over the past several years, there has been a decline in the number and quality of international competition opportunities for Canadian athletes, particularly at the junior and development team levels. In addition, new resources are required to raise the level of training, competition and coaching support for athletes with a disability.
Funding will be provided to increase training and competition opportunities for national team and developing high performance athletes. This includes special initiatives for top performing Aboriginal athletes involved with the North American Indigenous Games.
BACKGROUNDER
GOVERNMENT OF CANADA:
ADDITIONAL SPORT FUNDING -- COACHING
About one-third of the new funds will be used to develop and employ the finest Canadian coaches.
In order for athletes to reach the highest level of international performance, regular access to qualified coaches is essential. The need to increase employment opportunities for Canadian coaches has been highlighted in numerous studies, reports and consultations with the sport community over the previous decades.
Currently, there are 49 federally supported, full-time national team coaches employed by federally funded National Sport Organizations. To augment the number, quality and remuneration of high performance coaches, funding will be provided to support up to 100 additional full-time high performance coaches. The coach employment program will provide additional funding for coaching salaries from National Sport Organizations and other partners to create additional full-time coaching positions and augment existing coaching positions. These initiatives will help keep our best coaches in Canada.
Additional support will also be allocated to enhance the salary level of coaches and to support a variety of professional development and training opportunities for coaches. Many part-time coaching positions will be created and professional development opportunities for coaches will be increased. Special mentoring and apprenticeship initiatives will aim at increasing the number of women coaches and Aboriginal coaches.
The long-term benefits of these initiatives include enhanced international performance by future Canadian athletes given that a greater number of fully employed qualified coaches will lead to improved athlete development programs at all levels of competition and a stronger sport system.
BACKGROUNDER
GOVERNMENT OF CANADA:
ADDITIONAL SPORT FUNDING -- DIRECT SUPPORT TO ATHLETES
About one-fifth of the new funds will be allocated to Sport Canada's Athlete Assistance Program.
The provision of direct living and training support to athletes through Sport Canada's Athlete Assistance Program enables athletes to remain in high performance sport and maintain the level of training required to reach their full potential. The Athlete Assistance Program provides support to approximately 850 Canadian national team athletes in some 45 sports. These athletes represent Canada at Olympic and Paralympic Games, World Championships and other international competitions.
Through this new initiative, the Athlete Assistance Program budget of $7.2 million will be augmented, in order to provide funding to offset living and training expenses and tuition support for an additional 200 developing high performance athletes per year and 100 athletes with a disability. In total, the number of AAP-FUNDED athletes will increase from 837 to approximately 1,150. This initiative addresses the need to fund more athletes due to increase in the number of events at the Winter and Summer Olympic Games, and to increase the number of Paralympic athletes receiving support.
This initiative will also deepen the impact of the AAP by providing much needed financial support to an increased number of senior level national team athletes as well as an increased number of junior and developing high performance athletes who represent the feeder system for Canada's future national teams.
Generally, Canadian athletes who rank among the top 8 in the world are carded at the "A" level. Those who place in the top 16 are carded "B" level; "C" cards are provided to identified athletes with the potential to achieve "A" or "B" card standards within a few years.
BACKGROUNDER
SPORT CANADA
Sport Canada is a branch of the Department of Canadian Heritage, which supports the achievement of high performance athletic excellence.
Role
to strengthen the unique contribution sport makes to Canadian society, identity and culture.
to support high performance athletes who compete fairly and ethically.
to work with key partners to sustain the development of the Canadian sport system.
to ensure continued opportunities for Canada's athletes to be successful in international competition by supporting key national and international sport activities.Policy Priorities
Canada's high performance athletes and the programs that directly support them.
coaches and coaching development.
increased access to sport for athletes from traditionally under-represented groups, such as women, athletes with a disability and Aboriginal people.
Activities
Currently, Sport Canada has an annual Contributions budget of approximately $48 million. The key Sport Canada programs include support of $19.5 million to the high performance programming of 38 National Sport Organizations; $7.1 million to 14 Multi-sport/Service Organizations; $1 million to a network of National Sport Centres in Calgary, Montreal, Winnipeg, and Victoria; $7 million to Canada's top high performance athletes in approximately 45 sports to assist with their training and living costs; $4 million to the Canada Games; and $7 million for the hosting of world championships, major games and international sport events.
Sport Canada funds 38 National Sport Organizations via the Sport Funding and Accountability Framework; four additional Sport Organizations via the Domestic Sport Pilot; and nine additional National Sport Organizations for athletes with a disability via the Funding and Accountability Framework for Athletes with a Disability.
There are currently 837 athletes funded through the Athlete Assistance Program, consisting of 173 A cards, 96 B cards, 503 C cards and 65 developmental cards. With the new funding announced January 22, the number of carded athletes will increase to approximately 1,150.
BACKGROUNDER
ATHLETES AND COACH PRESENT
Rebeccah Bornemann
Born in Sharon, Connecticut
Resides in Edmonton, Alberta
Canadian Paralympic Committee Athlete Representative
Gold medallist at the 1996 Paralympics - Swimming
Double bronze medalist at the 1992 Paralympic Games
Sheryl Boyle
Born in Renfrew, Ontario
Resides in Ottawa, Ontario
National Team member since 1988 - White Water Kayaking
Olympic Team member in 1992 and 1996
Two time World Cup medalist
Al Morrow
Born in Hamilton, Ontario
Resides in London, Ontario
Occupation: National Women's Head Coach - Rowing
Coached at 1984, 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games; 1977, 1985-86, 1989-91, 1994-95 World Championships; 1979, 1983, 1987 Pan Am Games; 1986 Commonwealth Games; 1989, 1993 World University Games
Coached 4 Olympic gold medal performances at the 1992 and 1996 Olympics
Coached Marni McBean and Kathleen Heddle - Canada's only Olympic triple gold medalists
Tina Poitras
Born in Thompson, Manitoba
Resides in Montreal, Quebec
Club: Montréal Olympique
Coach: Serge Labelle
National Team member since 1988 - women's race walk
Olympic Team member in 1992 and 1996
World Championship Team member 1991,1993, 1995
1997 National Women's Race Walk Champion
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