Sport Canada is a branch of the Department of Canadian Heritage that develops federal sport policy in Canada, provides funding programs in support of sport, and administers special projects related to sport. Its mission "to enhance opportunities for all Canadians to participate and excel in sport."
The Government of Canada, through Sport Canada, provides financial support through 3 programs: Athlete Assistance Program, which gives direct financial support to selected national team athletes (CA$33 million/year); the Sport Support Program, which funds Canadian sports organizations (about $178.8 million/year); and the Hosting Program, which helps sport organizations to host the Canada Games and international sport events (about $21.6 million/year). the Long-Term Athlete Development Model; and Podium Canada, consisting of the Own the Podium and Road to Excellence programs, aimed at improving Canada's performance at the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.
History
In 1961, the Fitness and Amateur Sport Act came into force, whereby the Government of Canada made an official commitment to “encourage, promote and develop fitness and amateur sport in Canada.” Under this act, the now-defunct Department of National Health and Welfare, through its new Fitness and Amateur Sport Program, was responsible for making grants to any organization that carried out activities in the field of fitness or amateur sport. A few years later, the Canadian government created two new directorates: Recreation Canada, which was tasked with improving the lifestyle of Canadians, and Sport Canada, which was responsible for developing competitive sport.
Sport Canada controlled in 1991 sixty-five "national sport organizations" (NSOs), as the "pivotal agency in each category of sport in Canada". These NSOs were "incorporated non-profit agencies recognized by the federal government and eligible for federal financing through the Fitness and Amateur Sport Directorate."
Sport Canada has since remained under the auspices of Canadian Heritage, while Health Canada continues its mandate of "encourag[ing] Canadians to take an active role in their health, such as increasing their level of physical activity and eating well."
Funding
The Government of Canada is involved in sport primarily through programs and policies administered by the Department of Canadian Heritage. Pursuant to section 4(2)(f) of the Department of Canadian Heritage Act, the department is tasked with "the encouragement, promotion and development of sport."
- Athlete Assistance Program (AAP) — The AAP has a goal of providing funds to athletes throughout their training and preparations before and during National and International Games. Funding provided by the APP can be granted to Canadian athletes who meet the proper eligibility requirements. It is recommended for athletes who request the assistance of the AAP to live and train within the country, however, as long as the request is justified by the National Sport Organization, an exception may be granted for certain Canadian athletes to receive funding from the AAP.
- Sport Support Program (SSP) — distributes funding to national sport organizations (NSOs), national multisport service organizations (MSOs), Canadian sport centres, and other non-governmental organizations that provide direct services and programs for athletes, coaches, and other sport participants.
- Hosting Program — supports the hosting and organization of national and international sporting events in Canada,
Sport organizations
The Government of Canada, through Sport Canada, invests funds and hard work into national level athletes and sporting events through the Sport Support Program (SSP). In order to provide "a role in supporting amateur sport or in promoting an active and healthy lifestyle for Canadians," Sport Canada provides help to three major types of sport organizations: National Sport Organizations (NSOs), National Multisport Service Organizations (MSOs), and Canadian Sport Centres and Institutes.
National Sport Organizations
National Sport Organizations (NSOs), or National Sport Federations (NSFs), are governing bodies that represent a specific national sport in Canada. Each NSO has a duty to oversee all that impacts its national sport, it selects and manages the yearly team roster and provides "professional development for coaches and officials in their sport." There are currently 58 NSOs in Canada.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+NSOs funded by Sport Canada as well as focusing on promotion to increase Canadian participation in sport, among other things. There are currently 24 MSOs that are granted funding from Sport Canada to date.
{| class="wikitable"
|+MSOs funded by Sport Canada
There are 4 Canadian Sport Institutes (located in Calgary, Quebec, Ontario, and the Pacific Region), and 3 Canadian Sport Centres (located in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Atlantic Canada).
|Alberta
|Calgary
|-
| rowspan="4" |Canadian Sport Institute Ontario
| rowspan="4" |Ontario
|Scarborough (Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre)
|-
|Milton (Mattamy National Cycling Centre)
|-
|London (National Training Centre of Rowing Canada)
|-
|Toronto (Athletics Canada's East Hub at York University)
|-
| rowspan="3" |Canadian Sport Institute Pacific
| rowspan="3" |Pacific Canada
|Vancouver
|-
|Victoria (Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence)
|-
|Whistler (Whistler Athletes’ Centre)
|-
|Institut national du sport du Québec
|Quebec
|Montreal (Olympic Park)
|-
| rowspan="5" |Canadian Sport Centre Atlantic
| rowspan="5" |Atlantic Canada
|Halifax, NS (Canada Games Centre)
|-
|Fredericton, NB (U of New Brunswick Faculty of Kinesiology)
|-
|Newfoundland and Labrador
|-
|Wolfville, NS (Acadia Athletics Complex)
|-
|Antigonish, NS (St Francis Xavier University)
|-
|Canadian Sport Centre Manitoba
|Manitoba
|Winnipeg (Frank Kennedy Centre, U of Manitoba)
|-
| rowspan="2" |Canadian Sport Centre Saskatchewan
| rowspan="2" |Saskatchewan
|Regina
|-
|Saskatoon
|}
Notable people
- Earl Dawson, regional director of Sport Canada and secretary of the Canada Games council (1971–1987)
- Lou Lefaive, national director of Sport Canada (1971–1974, 1978–1980)