Parliamentary Secretary Adam van Koeverden highlights funding to organizations in the Kitchener-Waterloo region through the Community Sport for All Initiative

KITCHENER, ON, March 13, 2023 /CNW/ - A priority of the Government of Canada is to remove barriers to sport among under-represented populations to increase their participation.

Today, Adam van Koeverden, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and to the Minister of Sport, highlighted $31,886 in financial support for community sport activities to 32 local organizations in the Kitchener?Waterloo region. The funding is being distributed by national-level organizations receiving funding through the Community Sport for All Initiative.

The sport activities organized by the funded groups working on the ground?ranging from skiing and soccer to volleyball and martial arts?will help reduce barriers that hinder participation in sport, particularly in Black, Indigenous and racialized communities or among 2SLGBTQI+ groups, people with low incomes, newcomers, and persons with disabilities.

Parliamentary Secretary van Koeverden made this announcement on behalf of the Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec.

"Our government's support for community sport reinforces our commitment to building stronger and healthier communities. Sport plays an important role in building self-esteem and leadership skills, which allow people to grow and thrive physically, emotionally, and socially. It should be accessible to all, and everyone deserves the opportunity to participate in sport and physical activity."

?The Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec

"Sport is a catalyst to a healthy and happy lifestyle. Opportunities that lead to healthy bodies and minds should be available to all. We are committed to supporting initiatives that will help us realize our goal of a more inclusive Canadian sport system that benefits everyone."

?Adam van Koeverden, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and to the Minister of Sport

"The positive impact that the Government of Canada's Community Sport for All Initiative has had on KidSport organizations has been immense. In the last year, we have expanded our local chapter network across the country. Our existing chapters, like KidSport Kitchener?Waterloo, have been able to provide grants to even more kids in the wide variety of sport organizations in their communities. This important funding allows KidSport Canada to further expand our ability to break down financial barriers to sport so that all kids can play."

?Greg Ingalls, CEO, KidSport Canada

"Backed by the support from Sport Canada, we are advancing our mission to remove barriers so that all kids in Canada have equal opportunity to reach their full potential through sport and play. As seen in the Kitchener?Waterloo region, Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities is reinvesting in the strength of grassroots sport while fostering a more accessible and inclusive game for all kids."

?Nadir Patel, Board Chairman, Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities

"The Community Sport for All Initiative funding has enabled the Grade 7 and 8 students at Monsignor Haller School to experience downhill skiing for the first time. By working with Chicopee Ski, they will be able to provide a lesson, lift ticket, and rental for the day free of charge, giving many newcomer students a physical activity opportunity they would not otherwise be likely to access. It has been incredible to see how impactful experiences like this have been to thousands of young people across the country."

?Melanie Davis, Executive Director and CEO, PHE Canada

"Squash Canada is delighted to hear the Community Sport for All Initiative will be funding community organizations in the Kitchener?Waterloo region. The CSAI fund has been imperative in helping to support community organizations across the country to provide barrier-free programming to grow the sport of squash to be more inclusive, diverse, and accessible. The region of Kitchener?Waterloo will greatly benefit from this financial support."

?Geoffrey Johnson, Director of Sport Development, Squash Canada.

The Community Sport for All Initiative supports national organizations to help establish more accessible local organized sport and remove barriers to participation in sport programming.

The Community Sport for All Initiative seeks to restore and increase participation in sport, particularly in Black, Indigenous and 2SLGBTQI+ communities, and among people with low incomes, newcomers, and persons with disabilities. The projects will be guided by the following principles:

• Affordable: Projects will be offered at minimal or no cost to participants.
• 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.
• 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.
• Green: Delivery of the projects should produce minimal or positive environmental impact.
• 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.
• Available: Projects should seek to be delivered in underserved communities and to achieve regional diversity.

Physical and Health Education Canada

Physical and Health Education Canada has allocated $3,000 of its total Community Sport for All Initiative funding to support one community organization in the Kitchener?Waterloo region:

Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities

Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities has allocated $4,686 of its total Community Sport for All Initiative funding to support one community organization in the Kitchener?Waterloo region:

Squash Canada

Squash Canada has allocated $2,000 of its total Community Sport for All Initiative funding to support one community organization in the Kitchener?Waterloo region:

KidSport Canada

KidSport Canada has allocated $22,200 of its total Community Sport for All Initiative funding to support a total of 29 community organizations in the Kitchener?Waterloo region:

* The list includes planned funding as reported by the national-level organizations as of February 28, 2023. Final community organization recipients may vary.

Parliamentary Secretary Adam van Koeverden announces new funding to remove barriers and improve inclusivity in Canadian sport

Community Sport for All Initiative ? Sport Support Program
Funded national-level organizations (2022?2023)
Budget 2022 ? $16 million over three years, starting in 2022?23, to support actions to create a safer sport system
Budget 2021 ? A Recovery Plan for Jobs, Growth, and Resilience

SOURCE Canadian Heritage