The Canadian Sport Policy

The Canadian Sport Policy presents a powerful vision for sport in Canada.

Two years in the making, the Canadian Sport Policy reflects the interests and concerns of 14 government jurisdictions, the Canadian sport community, and of the countless other organizations and agencies that influence and benefit from sport in Canada.

The Policy challenges all stakeholders to open sport to every segment of Canadian society. It welcomes and seeks to involve all those who do not currently consider themselves a part of either the sport community or the sport system, but have the potential and the desire to contribute.

Above all, the Policy seeks to improve the sport experience of all Canadians by helping to ensure the harmonious and effective functioning, and transparency of their sport system. The Canadian Sport Policy reflects a new approach to shared leadership and collaboration amongst all stakeholders to achieve the goals of enhanced participation, excellence, capacity and interaction in sport.

The Vision of the Canadian Sport Policy is to have, by 2012 a dynamic and leading-edge sport environment that enables all Canadians to experience and enjoy involvement in sport to the extent of their abilities and interests and, for increasing numbers, to perform consistently and successfully at the highest competitive levels.

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The Canadian Sport Policy is available in html format and pdf format

Collaborative Action

The vision and goals of the Canadian Sport Policy will be achieved by the development and implementation of four models of action plans: a federal government action plan; individual action plans by specific provincial/territorial governments; a collaborative federal-provincial/territorial government action plan; and action plans undertaken by sport communities.

The Federal-Provincial/Territorial Priorities for Collaborative Action 2002 - 2005 outlines priorities that the governments intend to implement in the three years from 2002 to 2005 and opens a new chapter in federal-provincial/territorial government cooperation in sport. Through the Canadian Sport Policy, increased efforts are being directed at achieving objectives developed collaboratively by governments and their sport communities.

The current priorities are driven by the vision, the four goals, and the commitments contained in the Canadian Sport Policy. They will set the foundation on which a renewed and strengthened sport system can be built. The Federal-Provincial/Territorial Priorities for Collaborative Action 2002 - 2005 will be up-dated and implemented on a three-year "rolling plan" basis.

The Federal-Provincial/Territorial Priorities for Collaborative Action 2002 - 2005 is available in html format and pdf format.

Also of interest:

The Canadian Strategy for Ethical Conduct in Sport (May, 2002)
html format and pdf format

The Building of the Canadian Sport Policy

In May 2000, the Government of Canada, in conjunction with provincial and territorial governments, launched a national sport consultation process to find ways to improve Canada's sport system. This culminated in the development of a discussion paper, entitled Towards a Canadian Sport Policy, that served as the basis for the April 2001 National Summit on Sport.

With the support of the sport community this, in turn, led to the development of the Canadian Sport Policy, which was endorsed by federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for sport at their annual meeting on April 5 and 6, 2002 in Iqaluit. The federal and provincial/territorial governments' policy objectives regarding sport and the principles on which they are founded stems from these extensive consultations.

National Sport Summit

The Government of Canada hosted a National Summit on Sport on April 27 and 28, 2001, in Ottawa.

Find out more about the National Summit or the Final Report on the National Summit on Sport in
html format and pdf format

Regional Conferences

Between June, 2000 and January, 2001, a series of six regional conferences were held to establish a clear pan-Canadian vision of sport in Canada and to provide direction and priorities for sport in Canada, leading to the development of a Canadian Sport Policy. Find out more about these Regional Conferences.

Round tables on sport

Between November, 2000 and March, 2001, a series of six Round Tables were held with specific sport groups (athletes, officials, Aboriginal Sport Circle, National and Multi-Sport Organizations, equity and inclusion, and the media) to ensure that particular attention to important issues relevant to these groups would be addressed in the development of the Canadian Sport Policy and Action Plan. Find out more about these Round Table Discussions.