Building Canada strong from playground to podium -- Government of Canada invests in a new home for Canadian basketball

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Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

Sep 16, 2026, 14:00 ET

ETOBICOKE, ON, Sept. 16, 2026 /CNW/ -- The Government of Canada is Building Canada Strong through sport. From playground to podium, we are investing in communities, supporting athletes and uniting Canadians, because sport is the ultimate nation builder.

Today, through the Build Communities Strong Fund, the Honourable Adam van Koeverden, Secretary of State (Sport), and the Honourable John Zerucelli, Secretary of State (Labour) and Member of Parliament for Etobicoke North, announced a federal investment of $76 million to create new a state-of-the-art community centre at Humber Polytechnic's North Campus in Etobicoke.

The Government of Canada is building and upgrading places where Canadians come together, that includes the new Athletic and Community Recreation Hub (The Hub) at Humber; connecting kids and families with more opportunities to play and stay active, while making sure athletes of all-levels have a space to pursue excellence.

The Hub will feature six gymnasiums for provincial, national and international basketball competitions, creating more opportunities for Canadians to train and proudly wear the maple leaf on the world stage, while proving, once again, that Canada is the best sport-hosting nation in the world. The facility will also include a high-performance training centre, a domed playing field and expanded space for essential facilities. Available programming will double, supporting community, academic and athletic uses.

Talent is everywhere across our country, and opportunity should be too. The Hub will bring communities together and open the doors to sport for more Canadians, hosting local organizations and clubs with a commitment to 32,000 hours of community use each year. When more people participate, the benefits reach far beyond sport: healthier people, stronger communities and a more resilient economy.

By integrating the National Training Centre for Canada Basketball, The Hub will soon serve as the official home of basketball in Canada, housing their training and operations and helping athletes develop at every level.

Additionally, through new federal funding, the Government of Canada will provide a $1.8 million Sport Support Program top-up to Canada Basketball's overall annual funding, totalling $81.3 million for 2026-2027. 

Today's announcement builds on the Government of Canada's $1 billion investment in sport, the largest in our nation's history, support Canadian athletes, strengthen sport infrastructure, increase participation and ensure Canada continues to host world-class sporting events. A country that comes together through sport is a country united.

Quotes

"Sport has the power to shape lives and connect people in ways that very few things can. As we continue our nation's monumental year of sport, the Government of Canada is investing to establish the new home of Canadian basketball at Humber. The Hub will strengthen Canada's sport system, help athletes at every level pursue excellence, expand participation and create more opportunities to host major sporting events here at home, proving once again that Canada is the best sport-hosting nation in the world. We're building Canada Strong, from playground to podium."

The Honourable Adam van Koeverden, Secretary of State (Sport)

"This new Athletic and Community Recreation Hub at Humber Polytechnic will give young people across our community - including Rexdale, Jamestown, Mount Olive-Silverstone-Jamestown, Humber Summit, Smithfield, West Humber-Clairville, and surrounding communities - greater access to year-round sport and recreation, while helping athletes pursue their goals. From playground to podium, this facility will strengthen Etobicoke for years to come."

The Honourable John Zerucelli, Secretary of State (Labour) and Member of Parliament for Etobicoke North

"For more than forty years, Humber Polytechnic has given Canada Basketball's athletes a place to train, today, we lay the permanent foundation for basketball in Canada. It is our objective to be Best in the world, when our teams take to the court, and Best for Canada, in how our sport represents our nation's values. With this historic investment and partnership, we will soon have a home to ensure both of those promises are kept. We are grateful to the Government of Canada for recognizing basketball as a sport of national importance, and to Humber Polytechnic for continuing to help make the game accessible."

Michael Bartlett, President and CEO, Canada Basketball

"Today's investment is a significant milestone for Humber, Canada Basketball and the future of sport in Canada. We are deeply grateful to the federal government for their commitment to playground to podium, and their support in bringing this transformative facility to life. As the new home of Canada Basketball and a much-needed community resource, Humber is proud to build on our tradition of athletic excellence while creating a dynamic living laboratory where students can gain hands-on experience through training, applied research and cross-disciplinary collaboration."

Ann Marie Vaughan, President and CEO, Humber Polytechnic

Quick Facts

  • The federal government is investing $76 million in this project through the Direct Delivery stream of the Build Communities Strong Fund.
  • Starting in 2026-27, the Build Communities Strong Fund will deliver funding through three major streams:
    • A Provincial and Territorial stream, which provides $17.2 billion over 10 years, including $5 billion in health infrastructure funding over three years;
    • A Direct Delivery stream, which provides $6 billion over 10 years, including $1 billion over 4 years as part of a Local Impact Stream that is being delivered by Canada's Regional Development Agencies to support community infrastructure projects with local impact; and,
    • A Community stream (formerly the Canada Community-Building Fund), which provides $27.8 billion over 10 years and, indexed at 2% to deliver $3 billion per year ongoing.
  • The Buy Canadian Policy is an important part of the Build Communities Strong Fund. It will help ensure that more of every public dollar goes right into the Canadian economy – creating Canadian careers, using Canadian resources, and benefiting Canadian communities.
  • The Build Communities Strong Fund will be a force multiplier in infrastructure – with funding that will be matched by nearly $17 billion from provinces, and additional billions leveraged through municipal and territorial partnerships as well as private capital. The fund will also boost Canada's GDP by $95 billion over the next decade. 
  • Under the Direct Delivery stream, at least 10% of the funding will go towards investments in Indigenous communities.
  • Project funding is subject to the signing of a contribution agreement between the Government of Canada and the recipient.
  • Federal funding is conditional on fulfilling requirements, including those related to consultation with Indigenous peoples and environmental assessment obligations, if applicable.

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SOURCE Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

Contacts: For more information (media only), please contact: Arianna Durgerian, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, [email protected]; Abby Albino, Head, Brand Strategy & Fan Engagement, Canada Basketball, [email protected]; Chad Derrick, Media Relations and External Communications Specialist, Humber Polytechnic, [email protected]; Media Relations, Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: [email protected]

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Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities