OLG and Team Canada Launch Official Partnership Ahead of Paris 2024

New OLG campaign highlights support of Ontario athletes

TORONTO, July 15, 2024 /CNW/ - Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) is excited to announce its first-ever official partnership with the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee – becoming the Official Ontario Lottery Partner of Team Canada for the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

"Ontario is ready to cheer on Team Canada athletes as they compete in Paris this summer," said Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming. "This new partnership is showcasing one of the many ways OLG's support makes a difference to people and communities across the province."   

"We are thrilled to welcome OLG to Team Canada," said Jacqueline Ryan, Chief Brand and Commercial Officer of the Canadian Olympic Committee and CEO of the Canadian Olympic Foundation. "Ontario has such a rich sporting history and OLG has long been a supporter of sport and amateur athletes. We know this support has made a profound impact on athletes across the province, whether they're engaged in sport at the grassroots level or pursuing their Olympic dreams."

"We are so pleased to be entering a new partnership with OLG and welcoming them into the Canadian Paralympic community," said Karen O'Neill, CEO, Canadian Paralympic Committee. "We know support for sport and athletes has been important to OLG for many years, and we are excited to work with them to continue to champion Ontario's Para athletes and inclusive sport across Ontario."

As momentum builds towards the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, OLG is also shining a spotlight on its players, who have helped support amateur athletes in Ontario by playing with OLG. The new "Sponsored by You" campaign reinforces that when you play with OLG, you support Ontario athletes.

Since 2006, OLG and the Ontario government have supported high-performance amateur athletes through the Quest for Gold athlete assistance program. The program has provided direct financial support to thousands of amateur athletes, enhancing their ability to train by offsetting the costs of training and living expenses.

"Many people don't realize 100 per cent of OLG's profits are reinvested into Ontario, and that we have a longstanding history of supporting amateur athletes," said Maxine Chapman, VP Brand & Marketing Officer at OLG. "OLG's ability to give back to communities is only possible thanks to our players, so we wanted to use this opportunity to recognize and celebrate them."

OLG's campaign features Team Canada athletes Andre De Grasse, Penny Oleksiak, Maggie Mac Neil, Jillian Weir and other Ontario athletes and Para athletes who have received funding from Ontario's Quest for Gold program.

"Training for the Olympics takes a lot of preparation – physically, mentally and financially – and it's not something you can succeed at alone," said six-time Olympic medallist Andre De Grasse. "Having programs like Quest for Gold to help and knowing your community is supporting you makes all the difference, especially when you're competing on the world stage."

The success of the Quest for Gold program shows in the numbers – in the last four Olympic cycles, over 90 per cent of Ontario medal winners had received Quest for Gold funding during their career.

"The Quest for Gold program showcases our government's continued efforts to enable Ontario athletes to achieve their full potential at the highest levels of competition," said Neil Lumsden, Minister of Sport. "We are proud to join with the OLG, our partners across the sport sector and all Ontarians in wishing our Olympic and Paralympic athletes the best of luck in Paris!"

To make players feel like sponsors, OLG is bringing a traveling "Sponsored by You" Portrait Studio to several Ontario communities this summer. Players will have the opportunity to take a personalized portrait to show their support for Ontario's amateur athletes and will also have a chance to win great prizes — including Team Canada prize packs*.

Plus if you buy a lottery ticket online at OLG.ca between July 15 and August 12, 2024, you can enter for a chance to win a trip to watch Team Canada at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games**!

For more information on the campaign and contest, visit SponsoredByYou.ca

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^*	Terms and conditions apply, click here for more details
^**	No Purchase Necessary.  Must be 18+ and resident of Ontario. For full contest rules and details, click here.

About OLG

OLG is a crown agency that contributes to a better Ontario by delivering great entertainment experiences for our customers. Acting in a socially responsible way, OLG conducts and manages land-based gaming facilities; the sale of province-wide lottery games; Internet gaming; and the delivery of bingo and other electronic gaming products at Charitable Gaming Centres. OLG is also helping support the horse racing industry in Ontario. Since 1975, OLG has generated approximately $59 billion for the people and Province of Ontario to support key government priorities like health care; the treatment and prevention of problem gambling; and support for amateur athletes. Each year profits from OLG's operations also support host communities, Ontario First Nations, lottery retailers and local charities across the province.

Play for Ontario - 100 per cent of OLG's profits are invested in Ontario

About the Canadian Olympic Committee

The Canadian Olympic Committee believes sport has the power to transform Canada. Through the Team Canada Impact Agenda and together with our partners, the COC is committed to making sport safe, inclusive and barrier-free so more young people can play and stay in sport. Learn more at olympic.ca.

About the Canadian Paralympic Committee

The Canadian Paralympic Committee is a non-profit, private organization in partnership with 27 member sport organizations, dedicated to the power and impact of Paralympic sport. Holding a vision of an inclusive world realized through Paralympic sport, its mission is to deliver the best-prepared teams for Games excellence while modeling and promoting disability inclusion and accessibility. Championing the stories and successes of high-performance athletes with disabilities, the Canadian Paralympic Committee inspires Canadians to embrace inclusivity and actively engage in sports. For more insights, visit Paralympic.ca.

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SOURCE Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (Media Relations)

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