Recreation

Sports and Recreation Funding in Canada

Sports and recreation are popular in Canada, but much of this industry relies on external funding.

According to the 2003 National Survey of Nonprofit and Voluntary Organizations, revenues from goods, services, and memberships provide only about two-thirds of revenues of non-profit sports and recreation organizations.

As a result, these organizations look to individuals, corporate sponsors, and governments to make up the difference. At major Canadian sports events, for example, you often see logos of business sponsors.

According to the survey, gifts and donations are the second largest source of revenue (20 per cent), followed by government (12 per cent).

Sports funding from the government comes from all levels -- municipal, provincial, and federal.

In 2004-2005, the federal government spent $123.3M in grants and contributions. Federal funding is available for athletes, sports programs, and events, such as the Canada Games.

The Athlete Assistance Program, for example, helps international-level athletes by providing living and training allowances and sometimes tuition fees.

According to Sport Canada investing in sports makes financial sense. In 1997, statistics suggested a three per cent increase in sport and recreation participation could save Canadian taxpayers $41 million in annual health care costs.

This section is about funding sports and recreation in Canada.