Question Period Note: Community Sport for All Initiative

The Community Sport for All Initiative was launched on February 1, 2022, to help community organizations kick-start local organized sports with a focus on equity-deserving groups.

• The Community Sport for All Initiative seeks to reduce barriers to participation in sports for equity-deserving groups, in particular, Black, Indigenous, racialized, 2SLGBTQI+, low income, persons with a disability, and newcomers.
• In 2022–23, over $36.5 million was provided to 23 national-level organizations across all provinces and territories for the delivery of sport activities at the community level.

• In Budget 2021, the Government of Canada announced $80 million over two years to support organized sport and to help communities recover from the impacts of COVID-19 and kick-start local organized sports that are accessible to all. The Community Sport for All Initiative seeks to remove barriers to participation in sports for equity-deserving groups, in particular, Black, Indigenous, racialized, 2SLGBTQI+, low-income, persons with a disability, and newcomers in order to increase participation and retention in sport.
• The Community Sport for All Initiative funding is directed at applicant organizations at the national level, or other organizations with the scope and capacity to implement projects in multiple jurisdictions, to administer and disburse project funding to community organizations, which in turn deliver quality sport programming to Canadians, including the identified equity-deserving groups.
• The Community Sport for All Initiative was launched on February 1, 2022, for its first intake period.
• The Community Sport for All Initiative is delivered through the Sport Support Program and has provided over $33 million to 19 national-level organizations in fiscal year 2022–23, which in turn was disbursed to community level organizations:
1. Athletics Canada ($44,500)
2. Canadian Blind Hockey ($200,000)
3. Canadian Parks and Recreation Association ($8,000,000)
4. Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities ($7,740,600)
5. Canadian Volleyball Association ($243,136)
6. Canadian Women & Sport ($2,000,000)
7. Commonwealth Sport Canada ($190,000)
8. Cross Country Ski de fond Canada ($284,327)
9. Cycling Canada ($450,000)
10. Field Hockey Canada ($76,470)
11. Judo Canada ($282,352)
12. Kenyan Canadian Association ($140,000)
13. KidSport Canada ($4,430,000)
14. ParticipACTION ($4,667,000)
15. Physical Health and Education Canada ($2,190,000)
16. Right to Play ($374,000).
17. Rowing Canada ($999,000)
18. Special Olympics Canada ($467,600)
19. Squash Canada ($312,000)
• Through the Community Sport all Initiative, over $3.5 million was allocated to the following national-level organizations to deliver sport at the community-level, without third party delivery:
1. Canada Basketball ($500,000)
2. Canadian Tennis Association ($500,000)
3. Canoe Kayak Canada ($404,700)
4. Spirit North ($1,655,000)
5. Canadian Volleyball Association ($498,500)
• Funding through this component is community project-based and the projects are guided by the following principles:
o Affordable: Projects will be offered at minimal or no cost to participants.
o Results-oriented: Projects will be delivered in such a way as to increase participation and retention of equity deserving communities and, ultimately, drive behavioural change.
o Focused on organized sport: While other activities may be included (such as movement skills development), the primary activity must be organized sport and must adhere to safe sport practices.
o Green: Delivery of the projects should produce minimal or positive environmental impact.
o Accessible: Projects must be tailored to the needs of one or more of the equity-deserving groups but need not be exclusionary and can be open to all and should allow for a wide range of athletic ability.
o Available: Projects should seek to be delivered in underserved communities and to achieve regional diversity.
o Sport Canada is preparing to launch Year 2 of the Community Sport for All Initiative during fiscal year 2023 24. Information will be provided as soon as it becomes available.

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