Government of Canada invests in coaches and high-performance sport
OTTAWA, October 12, 2004 -- Minister of State (Sport) Stephen Owen today announced an investment of more than $19 million in the sport system. The aim is to create a more responsive system that will better meet the needs of Canada's athletes and coaches. This announcement is the final installment of the $30 million investment in high performance sport announced in May of this year."As Canada's athletes and coaches begin to focus on the 2006, 2008, and 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games, now is the time to ensure they have a sport system that provides them with the support they need," said Minister Owen. "By identifying and filling the gaps at the developmental and high-performance levels, we can build our sport system into one that develops Canada's athletes across the spectrum."
The total investment of $19.112 million, which will address areas of need within the sport system, including coaching and high-performance sport programming, will be allocated as follows:
- $10.212 million will go to national sport organizations (NSO) for coaching salaries, training, and competition needs and to help senior national teams, development teams, coaches, and athletes prepare for future Olympic and Paralympic Games.
- $2.4 million will support long-term initiatives to improve Canada's sport system. They include a Long-Term Athlete Development Model and a sport-specific model for a seamless athlete development system that integrates national and provincial sport organizations ($1 million), accelerated development of the National Coaching Certification Program to allow NSOs to improve training for coaches and to make more certified coaches being available to the sport system ($1 million), and the introduction of a Sport Review Panel to bring together experts to make recommendations for high-performance sport investment ($400,000).
- $1.35 million will go toward hosting international sport events in Canada. This increases the 2004/2005 budget to $21.3 million. The entire sport system, from athletes and coaches to volunteers, officials, and communities, benefits from hosting international sport events. These events also provide valuable training and competition opportunities for Canada's athletes.
- $2.35 million will support the operations of the 2005 Canada Summer Games in Regina. The Canada Games are a vital stepping stone for young developing athletes who wish to compete at the highest international levels.
- $2.8 million will be spent on research, program operations, and boosting Canada's role in the international fight against doping in sport.
"By creating a system that is seamless and responsive, we will enable athletes and coaches to better focus their attention on their sport," said Minister Owen. "I look forward to continuing to work with the sport community to identify more ways to improve Canada's sport system so that our athletes can systematically achieve world-class results."
To determine the allocation of funds, the Government of Canada consulted with members of the sport community during the national roundtable discussions on sport held in April 2004, as well as during a number of meetings with representatives of the sport community in the summer of 2004.
The Government of Canada is the single largest investor in Canada's sport system. A total of $120 million is being provided in 2004/2005 to support initiatives for high-performance athletes and to increase Canadians' participation in sport. The Government of Canada is also a member partner of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and will contribute $310 million toward their success.
To learn more about the various programs offered by the Government of Canada in the area of sport, visit the Canadian Heritage Web site at www.canadianheritage.gc.ca/sportcanada
Information:
Renée Gillen
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of State (Sport)
(613) 941-4241
(This news release is available on the Internet at http://www.canadianheritage.gc.ca under Media Room.)
Building Canada's Sport System -
Targeted Allocation of $30 million for 2004/2005
1. Targeted Support to NSOs for Coaching and Excellence Programming ($10,212,000)
Based on current ranking and assessments from the Sport Review Process and La Relève programs, Olympic and Paralympic NSOs will receive targeted support for 2004/2005 to assist with high-performance costs related to coaching salaries, training, and competition. The support will target programs for senior national teams, La Relève teams, and the development and preparation of coaches and athletes for future Olympic and Paralympic Games.
2. Coaching CBET (Competency Based Education and Training) ($1 million)
This contribution will go toward making the National Coaching Certification Program a competency-based education and training (CBET) system for coaches that focuses on the needs of athletes. The funds will allow up to 30 sport federations to make the transition and will provide the necessary assistance and expertise through the Coaching Association of Canada. The delivery network will also be improved by investing some funds to create alliances with Canadian universities. Sport-specific content for Paralympic sports will be updated and brought on par with Olympic sports.
3. Long-Term Athlete Development Model ($1 million)
This project will address the high-priority need to develop a model for athlete training and development, from talent identification to the highest level of international competition. The Long-Term Athlete Development Model (LTAD) identifies the needs of athletes at various stages of their development, including coaching, training, equipment, and competition needs. Funding will also be directed to NSOs to create sport-specific models. The LTAD will be a phased, multi-year project. Between 20 and 30 sport federations are expected to begin the process this year. All eligible sports will eventually complete their models over a three- to four-year period. This approach was endorsed by the federal, provincial, and territorial Ministers of Sport in April of this year.
4. Sport Review Panel ($400,000)
The Canadian Sport Review Panel (CSRP) will analyse the potential of different sports by assessing NSOs' high-performance plans and providing technical advice and funding recommendations to national funding partners. The Panel is expected to begin its work soon, so as to be able to provide recommendations in time for 2005/2006.
5. International Single-Sport Hosting ($1.35 million)
This investment will increase the number of events that can be hosted in Canada to support Olympic and Paralympic sports. These funds will provide significant assistance particularly in the area of winter sport hosting in this pre-Olympic and Paralympic year.
6. Canada Games ($2.35 million)
This investment will support the operations of the 2005 Canada Summer Games. The Canada Games is the country's largest national multi-sport event and leaves significant legacies for communities and sport.
7. Other Initiatives, Research, and Program Operations ($2.8 million)
These funds will support commitments in the area of research, including work with Statistics Canada and program operations. Some funding has also been earmarked to further support Canada's effort to fight doping in sport.
Previously announced:
8. Sport Science, Equipment and Research ($5.5 million)
These funds will allow national teams to purchase equipment for athletes and for Canada Sport Centres to support sport science and sport medicine. Equipment investments include sport-specific equipment, such as rowing shells and hockey sledges, and equipment for testing, monitoring, and refining athlete training programs.
9. Athlete Assistance Program ($4.6 million)
More than 1400 Canadian athletes will receive a $4,800 per year increase in their tax-free stipends.
10. Athens Preparation ($788,000)
These funds assisted Team Canada in final preparations for the 2004 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Athens.
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