Canada’s national sport organizations (NSOs) are poised to receive a much-anticipated financial boost. The federal government is preparing to unveil additional funding for 60 NSOs on Thursday, according to sources familiar with the matter. Suzanne Paulins, CEO of Swimming Canada and co-chair of the Summer Sport Caucus, described the funding as transformative and much-needed for the sports system.
The new funding is expected to be implemented in the current fiscal year, with the exact timeline for the funds to reach NSOs still pending. This announcement follows the initial unveiling in April of a $660 million sport support funding initiative over five years, benefiting NSOs, multi-sport organizations (MSOs), and members of the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network (COPSINs).
In September, over 101 applications were submitted, totaling approximately $168 million in funding requests. Notably, three NSOs—Canada Basketball ($1.8 million), Alpine Canada ($2.77 million), and Wheelchair Canada Basketball (nearly $800,000)—previously received supplemental funding. The funding for three other NSOs is yet to be finalized.
COPSINs, comprising seven institutes, received a combined increase of $5.4 million this year, as announced by the federal government recently. Meanwhile, MSO applications are still in progress, with a total commitment of $112 million in increased sport-support funding for the year.
NSOs were informed of their specific supplemental funding in October, approximately two weeks before the official announcement, eliciting responses of gratitude and joy. The breakdown of the funding is expected to be publicly disclosed later on Thursday.
The funding boost for NSOs forms part of the government’s $1 billion investment in sports, covering areas such as direct athlete support ($43 million), event hosting ($50 million), and infrastructure improvements through the Build Communities Strong Fund. Notable projects receiving financial backing include new national training centers for Canada Basketball and Canada Soccer, as well as upgrades for facilities like Calgary’s Olympic speed skating oval, a Canada Snowboard national training center, and a national alpine center.
Swimming Canada’s focus for the funding includes initiatives like updating training materials, marketing campaigns, and grassroots projects. While not all requests were fully granted, the funding provided will enable progress towards set goals for the fiscal year.
Looking ahead, the national sport summit organized by Adam Van Koeverden, the federal Secretary of State for Sport, will convene sport leaders in Ottawa on Nov. 9-10 to strategize on advancing the industry further.