Ottawa earmarks additional $60M for national sport organizations

Another chunk of cash earmarked to increase participation in sport and develop homegrown athletic talent is being wired across the country.

On Thursday, the federal government announced an additional $60 million in financial backing for national sport organizations (NSOs).

Some extra wiggle room on mid fiscal-year budgets was not expected by Canada’s 63 NSOs, which were slated to receive a combined $112 million in core Sport Support Program (SSP) funding, and will now see north of $150 million in total.

“Sport has the power to shape lives and bring people together in a way few things can. Today’s announcement reflects a new era for sport in Canada, one where more kids have the opportunity to get out and play, and Team Canada athletes have the support they need to compete and win,” Secretary of State for Sport Adam van Koeverden said in a statement.

“We’re working with national sport organizations to strengthen our sport system at every level. Sport is the ultimate nation builder, and together, we’re Building Canada Strong, from the playground to the podium.”

In July, following the FIFA World Cup, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a $1 billion investment in sports infrastructure, the largest federal investment for Canadian sport.

That included $250 million dedicated to improving infrastructure, and $755 million for NSOs.

NSOs will distribute the new money to provincial and territorial sport organizations across the country, so how much this directly affects Manitoba-based athletes is yet to be determined.

Athletics Canada will receive the most SSP funding in 2026-27, totalling $8.4 million. Alpine Canada and Swimming Canada trail closely at $8 million and $7.8 million, respectively.

As it relates to a few other popular Manitoban sports, the Canadian Curling Association will receive $4.1 million in SSP funding this fiscal year, while Hockey Canada and Speed Skating Canada total $5.2 million and $6.4 million, respectively.

Other notables include Wheelchair Basketball Canada ($2.8 million), the Canadian Rugby Union ($4.9 million), Canada Basketball ($5.4 million), the Canadian Volleyball Association ($4 million) and the Canadian Amateur Rowing Association ($5.7 million).

The most recent announcement comes after the local scene received a slight boost last week when Sport Canada announced an additional $5.4 million in funding for the seven branches of the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network, $212,332 of which went to the Canadian Sport Centre Manitoba.

That money will boost the province’s support for athletes through the Athlete Assistance Program, which sends out carding cheques to help with services like coaching, nutrition, physiotherapy, mental performance, medicine, physiology and monthly rent.

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