Question Period Note: Refocusing Government Spending (RGS) impact on Sport Support Program

The Sport Support Program (SSP) supports the development of the Canadian sport system and provides funding to eligible organizations to provide opportunities for all Canadians, to participate in sport. The reductions to the budget of the SSP will be limited to projects to address additional priorities.

In a continued effort to advance sports in Canada, the government has strategically reallocated resources within the Sport Support Program. These adjustments, constituting a 1.4% reduction, focus on specific areas while ensuring the core funding for critical initiatives remains intact.

The reduction in funding will not impact direct funding to athletes through the Athlete Assistance Program or the Hosting Program.

The reduction will not impact reference level funding to National Sport Organizations, Multisport Service Organizations and the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network. It will also not impact dedicated programs such as high performance sport or the Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities initiative.

Reductions only affect additional project funding, reducing it from approximately $5.5 million to $3 million.

2023-24 Sport Support Program’s budget is $178.7 million dollars. It supports the provision of opportunities for all Canadians to participate in sport and the development of the Canadian sport system.

The Athlete Assistance Program provided 33 million dollars in 2023–24 to offset living, training and education costs to more than 1800 Canadian athletes so that they can remain in high performance sport.

In 2023–24, the Hosting Program’s budget is 20.9 million dollars to support games such as the Canada Games and the North American Indigenous Games, and for international single sport events. In October 2023, Sport Canada communicated with National Sport Organizations to inform them that the increasing costs of hosting events puts considerable pressure on available resources in the different components of the Hosting Program. As a result, funding priority for International Single Sport Events (ISSEs) is now given to Olympic and Paralympic qualification events as well as key Olympic and Paralympic preparation events. The budget for ISSEs was not reduced.

In the fall of 2022, the Government of Canada announced $25.3M over three years to support gender equity (GE), as well as equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

In 2023, the government announced $23.8M total funding for three years for initiatives related to safe sport and enhanced accountability in sport.

Reductions were approved for the Innovation Initiative and project funding. The Innovation Initiative funds eligible organizations for the testing of innovative quality sport approaches in order to develop evidence-based solutions to improve sport participation. Project funding relates to targeted funding for additional priorities such as safe sport and gender equity.

The reductions are:

$2,113,772 in 2024-25

$2,419,930 in 2025-26

$2,576,434 in 2026-27 and ongoing

Approximately $3M will still be available for projects.

2023-24 Sport Support Program’s budget is $178.7 million dollars. It supports the provision of opportunities for all Canadians to participate in sport and the development of the Canadian sport system.

The Athlete Assistance Program provided 33 million dollars in 2023–24 to offset living, training and education costs to more than 1800 Canadian athletes so that they can remain in high performance sport.

In 2023–24, the Hosting Program’s budget is 20.9 million dollars to support games such as the Canada Games and the North American Indigenous Games, and for international single sport events. In October 2023, Sport Canada communicated with National Sport Organizations to inform them that the increasing costs of hosting events puts considerable pressure on available resources in the different components of the Hosting Program. As a result, funding priority for International Single Sport Events (ISSEs) is now given to Olympic and Paralympic qualification events as well as key Olympic and Paralympic preparation events. The budget for ISSEs was not reduced.

In the fall of 2022, the Government of Canada announced $25.3M over three years to support gender equity (GE), as well as equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

In 2023, the government announced $23.8M total funding for three years for initiatives related to safe sport and enhanced accountability in sport.

Reductions were approved for the Innovation Initiative and project funding. The Innovation Initiative funds eligible organizations for the testing of innovative quality sport approaches in order to develop evidence-based solutions to improve sport participation. Project funding relates to targeted funding for additional priorities such as safe sport and gender equity.

The reductions are:

$2,113,772 in 2024-25

$2,419,930 in 2025-26

$2,576,434 in 2026-27 and ongoing

Approximately $3M will still be available for projects.

None