Government of Canada announces financial support for Speed Skating Canada
Investments will help the organization advance speed skating in Canada and improve safe sport practices.
GATINEAU, QC, Dec. 2, 2022 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is committed to supporting Canadians from the playground to the podium as well as helping the sport community get Canadians active, inspire young people and bring us together in the spirit of healthy competition.
Today, the Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, announced $4,151,517 in funding for Speed Skating Canada for 2022–23, including $63,500 for safety in sport.
The investment will provide the organization with the financial means to conduct its daily operations, promote speed skating among all Canadians and support high-performance athletes competing at the national and international levels. The funding includes $450,000 to host the ISU Four Continents Speed Skating Championships in Québec on December 2-4, 2022; and the 2022-23 ISU World Cup Speed Skating 3 and 4 in Calgary on December 9-11, 2022, and December 16-18, 2022.
The safety in sport investment is part of the government's ongoing work with sport organizations to ensure a safe sport environment for athletes across Canada.
As the largest investor in Canada's sport system, the Government of Canada is proud to support Canadian athletes, the national and multisport organizations that support them, and initiatives to host international sport events.
"As the Minister of Sport, I am proud to support our national sport associations in their efforts to better serve their athletes and participants and make their sport safer. Our $4.1 million in funding gives Speed Skating Canada tools to offer safer training environments for everyone, and better means to support high-performing athletes and conduct daily operations. All Canadians benefit when our athletes have more opportunities to compete at a world-class level and showcase their skills on the world stage. The ISU Four Continents Speed Skating Championships and the 2022-23 ISU World Cup Speed Skating 3 and 4 will do just that and inspire young people to strive for greatness and stay active."
—The Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
"Support from the Government of Canada contributes to the success of the country's fastest speed skaters as they train and compete among the world's best. It is essential in allowing young athletes across Canada to grow and develop in our sport. Sport Canada funding is also important to our ongoing investment in safe, inclusive and inspiring speed skating communities, as we strive to build a positive environment for everyone who steps on the ice. Every year, Speed Skating Canada hosts major international events such as this ISU Four Continents Speed Skating Championships in Quebec City, which demonstrates our country's global leadership in all aspects of speed skating."
— Blair Carbert, President of Speed Skating Canada
Speed Skating Canada is the official governing organization for the sport of speed skating in Canada. The organization supported over 11,286 registrants in 2021-22, a 45% increase from the previous season's figures.
Funding to national sport organizations mostly comes from Sport Canada's Sport Support Program. A portion of this year's investment came from the Recovery Fund for Arts, Culture, Heritage and Sport Sectors, which leveraged existing programs to provide $300 million over two years to organizations recovering from the impacts of the pandemic. The funding in support of hosting the ISU Four Continents Speed Skating Championships and the 2022-23 ISU World Cup Speed Skating 3 and 4 was made through Sport Canada's Hosting program.
To be eligible for funding, all sport organizations must have a policy on harassment, abuse and discrimination. They must also offer mandatory training on those issues and provide access to an independent third-party to receive and manage complaints. It will gradually become mandatory for federally funded organizations to use the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner as their independent third-party mechanism.
Effective April 1, 2023, Sport Canada will change contribution agreements with organizations that meet the new eligibility requirements of the Sport Funding Framework. The goal is to ensure that sport organizations receiving federal funding meet specific governance, accountability and safe sport standards.
The Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner is responsible for administering the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport using trauma-informed processes that are compassionate, efficient and provide fairness, respect and equity to all parties involved.
Government of Canada provides update and announces action on safe sport
Budget 2022 – $16 million over three years, starting in 2022–23, to support actions to create a safer sport system
Sport Canada
Speed Skating Canada
Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner: current program signatories
SOURCE Canadian Heritage
(media only): Ariane Joazard-Bélizaire, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, [email protected]; Media Relations, Canadian Heritage, 1-819-994-9101, 1-866-569-6155, [email protected]
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