Question Period Note: Indigenous Youth and Sport

A renewed fund of $20 million over five years has been established to support Indigenous youth and sport initiatives.

• The Government of Canada is providing $20 million over five years to support Indigenous youth and sport initiatives.

• This funding will also continue to help the Aboriginal Sport Circle strengthen its sport leadership and support the provinces and territories in the delivery of culturally relevant Indigenous sport programming.

• The funding provides ongoing support for the hosting of the North American Indigenous Games and Indigenous sport data and research.

• The needs and cultural priorities addressed by the investment are drawn from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action #88 and #90.
• Through Budget 2017, the Government of Canada invested $18.9 million over five years, starting in 2017-18, and ongoing funding of $5.5 million every four years thereafter. This investment is in the following areas:
o Indigenous sport leadership, $3.9 million, sunset in 2021–22;
o culturally relevant sport programming, $9 million, sunset in 2021–22;
o the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG), $3.5 million every four years ongoing; and,
o Sport Canada's data and research, $0.5 million every year ongoing.
• Investments are allocated to:
o The Aboriginal Sport Circle (ASC) to assume a greater leadership role as the national voice for Indigenous sport in Canada;
o Provincial and territorial governments, through bilateral agreements, to increase the capacity of Provincial/Territorial Aboriginal Sport Bodies, increase the offering of culturally relevant sport programming, and support the NAIG team preparation and travel;
o National Sport Organizations and Multisport Service Organizations to ensure long-term Indigenous athlete development and growth; and,
o the hosting of the NAIG in Canada on a four-year cycle.
• Budget 2022 announced $20 million in renewed funding over five years, from 2022–23 to 2026–27, to continue support in the following areas:
o $2 million for Indigenous sport leadership; and,
o $2 million for culturally relevant sport programming.
• Results of this investment to date are:
o Strengthened the capacity of the ASC enabling it to provide expertise and guidance to stakeholders on the Aboriginal Long-Term Participant Development Pathway, the guide for developing sport and physical activity among Indigenous peoples;
o Increased the number of Indigenous people involved in sport programming; and,
o Provided competitive opportunities for Indigenous youth through funding for the NAIG.

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