Question Period Note: Concussions in sport

Concussion is a serious and significant public health issue that affects the sport, recreation, health and education sectors. In collaboration with stakeholders, the Department of Canadian Heritage (Sport Canada) continues to focus on advancing the areas of concussion prevention and surveillance to protect Canadians. In direct response to the Federal-Provincial/Territorial Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Ministers’ January 2021 recommendation of establishing an annual Concussion Awareness Week, September 26 to October 2, 2021, marked the first annual Concussion Awareness Week.

• Concussions in sport are a serious public health issue because of their frequency and potential for consequences on brain health.
• We know there is more to be done to prevent concussions in sport.
• We will continue to work with partners, including provincial-territorial jurisdictions, to increase the awareness, prevention and management of concussions.

• The Government of Canada is dedicated to promoting safe and ethical sport environments for all Canadians. The prevention of concussions is a complex issue requiring the involvement of many sport and non-sport stakeholders and a multi-faceted approach.
• In November 2015 and October 2017, the Minister of Health and the Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities were both mandated “to support a national strategy to raise awareness for parents, coaches, and athletes on concussion treatment.” This commitment remained a top priority in the federal mandate letter of December 2019, and in the updated mandate letter of January 2021.
• Created in 2015, the Federal, Provincial and Territorial Working Group on Concussions in Sport (working group) is comprised of government representatives, non-governmental sport organizations, health, medical and education experts, as well as members of the Canadian Concussion Collaborative.
• On July 28, 2017, Parachute released the Canadian Guideline on Concussion in Sport (Canadian Guideline) for application in the Canadian context. The Canadian Guideline is based on the Fifth International Consensus Statement on Concussion in Sport published in April 2017.
• Following release of the Canadian Guideline, return-to-learn and return-to-play protocols have been developed at the national level.
• On July 28, 2017, the working group also released the Framework for Action, as approved by the Federal-Provincial/Territorial Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Ministers, which details principles and recommendations to address the five components of the harmonized approach on concussions: awareness, prevention, detection, management, and surveillance.
• On June 8, 2018, a national awareness campaign (We are headstrong), a return-to-learn generic protocol and a course for health practitioners were launched at a workshop with national sport organizations.
• On February 15, 2019, in Red Deer, Alberta, the Federal-Provincial/Territorial Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Ministers committed to additional actions to mitigate concussions and build on initiatives that increase the awareness, prevention and management of concussions.
• On June 3, 2019, the Standing Committee on Health tabled the 24th Report on the Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada’s study, entitled Tackling the Problem Head-on: Sports-Related Concussions in Canada, in the House of Commons. The report contains thirteen recommendations. The Federal government response was presented to the House on June 23, 2021. The recommendations call on the Government of Canada to continue to take action in the areas of research, awareness, prevention, detection, management, and surveillance.
• As of March 31, 2021, federally funded recipients are required to have a policy on concussion that covers the areas of awareness, prevention, detection, surveillance, and management. In addition, each organization must have a specific return-to-sport protocol compliant with the latest Canadian Guideline on Concussion in Sport.
• In the spring and summer 2021, the working group monitored the implementation of the Framework for Action and the 2019 Red Deer recommendations. A report on the progress will be tabled at the Federal-Provincial/Territorial Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Minister’s conference in 2022.
• September 26 to October 2, 2021, marked the first annual Concussion Awareness Week - in direct response to the Federal-Provincial/Territorial Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Ministers’ January 2021 recommendation of establishing an annual Concussion Awareness Week. Held during the last week of September, the objective of this week is to increase concussion awareness by providing Canadians with access to the latest information, research and resource tools to prevent, recognize and properly manage concussions. It is also an opportunity to showcase the innovative
pan-Canadian work being done by stakeholders across all sectors.

None