TORONTO TEMPO LAUNCH NEW COMMUNITY PLATFORM FOR CHANGE: TEMPO IMPACT
Introduced just ahead of International Women's Day,
Tempo Impact will focus on advancing girls' and women's health across Canada
TORONTO, March 5, 2026 /CNW/ - The Toronto Tempo today announced the launch of Tempo Impact, a long-term social impact platform dedicated to advancing the health and wellbeing of girls and women across Canada.
Launching in the lead-up to International Women's Day, Tempo Impact is anchored in a national, gendered health disparity. In Canada, women live 20 per cent more of their lives in poor health compared to men, a gap linked to inequities in access, investment, and research across health and sport systems.
Collaborative by design, Tempo Impact will function in partnership with existing organizations leading work in the women's health sector. The platform will deliver impact through targeted investments and joint programming with partners advancing physical, mental, and social health outcomes across the country.
"From day one, we've believed that our responsibility goes beyond the game," said Whitney Bell, Chief Marketing Officer, Toronto Tempo. "Tempo Impact reflects our team's commitment to supporting women and girls both on and off the court by supporting and strengthening the ecosystem of organizations leading this work across the country. We plan to invest with intention, partner for the long term, and build impact alongside our athletes, fans, and community partners."
Partner organizations will join the Tempo Collective, a new tier of community partnerships that unites grassroots organizations, non-profits and charities advancing girls' and women's health across Canada. Members will be supported through long-term commitments and highlighted throughout the season.
Three inaugural Tempo Collective partners were announced today:
- Canada Basketball, supporting programming focused on the development of Canadian women coaches and officials
- Women's College Hospital Foundation, leading the charge in the health of women and gender-diverse people, turning research, education and care into real impact
- Canadian Women & Sport, advancing systems-level change to create more sustainable, equitable sport participation for girls and women
Tempo Impact will also encompass Together We Win, the team's social inclusion and belonging program, developed in partnership with Sephora Canada. Launched in June 2025 around Pride and Indigenous Heritage Months in Toronto and expanded nationally in February 2026 to spotlight community organizations during Black History Month, Together We Win will serve as the social health focus of Tempo Impact.
Additional Tempo Impact programs will roll out this spring, expanding the platform's reach through new partnerships and community-based initiatives designed to advance girls' and women's health. In April, the Tempo will launch a national program with Founding Partner CIBC focused on championing community leaders who are advancing ambitions and access to sport and wellbeing for girls and young women across Canada.
More information on Tempo Impact and applications for the Tempo Collective can be found at www.tempoimpact.ca.
The Tempo will begin play in the WNBA at Coca-Cola Coliseum on May 8, 2026, as the league's first Canadian franchise.
Additional Quotes
"At Women's College Hospital Foundation, advancing women's health is both our legacy and our mandate. For more than 140 years, we have led firsts for women in healthcare. As Canada welcomes its first WNBA franchise, we are proud to partner with the Toronto Tempo to accelerate progress in closing the gender health gap and building a healthier future for girls and women." - Sandra Sualim, President and CEO, Women's College Hospital Foundation
"The launch of Tempo Impact represents a meaningful step toward creating sport environments designed with girls in mind. Canadian Women & Sport is proud to join the Tempo Collective to accelerate systems-level change through evidence-based solutions. Together, we can strengthen pathways for participation, leadership, and long-term well-being across Canada." - Allison Sandmeyer-Graves, CEO Canadian Women & Sport
"Canada Basketball is proud to join the Toronto Tempo as an inaugural Tempo Collective partner. Continuing to invest in and support the development of women coaches and officials is critical to strengthening the entire basketball ecosystem in Canada. Through Tempo Impact, we have an opportunity to create meaningful pathways for women and ensure the next generation sees themselves reflected at every level and in every element of the game. Together, we will continue building a more inclusive and sustainable future for basketball across the country." - Stephanie Withall, Vice-President of Partnerships at Canada Basketball
About Toronto Tempo
In May 2024, the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) announced its expansion into Canada by awarding Toronto an expansion team, the league's first outside the United States. The new team, owned by Kilmer Sports Ventures, will begin play in the 2026 season as the WNBA's 14th franchise. Sephora Canada and CIBC are the team's first announced founding partners. Larry Tanenbaum, Chairman of Kilmer Sports Ventures and a 30-year veteran of building championship-caliber teams, is also Chairman of the NBA Board of Governors and Chairman Emeritus of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, which owns the NBA's Toronto Raptors, NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs, MLS' Toronto FC and other professional sports franchises. Under his leadership, the Raptors won their first NBA championship in 2019.
About Women's College Hospital Foundation
Women's College Hospital is a national leader in advancing health equity and improving health outcomes for women and gender-diverse people, particularly those underserved by the health system. For more than 140 years, Women's has identified critical gaps in care and responded with innovation in research, education and clinical practice. As Canada's only fully ambulatory academic hospital, WCH is mandated to drive system-level change. The hospital addresses some of the country's most pressing health challenges by confronting the gender and social inequities that shape health outcomes and by pioneering new models of care that build a more equitable and responsive health system for all. Philanthropic support through Women's College Hospital Foundation accelerates this work by funding breakthrough research, innovative models of care and high-impact programs that close health gaps and transform healthcare in Canada.
About Canada Basketball
Canada Basketball is the national governing body for the sport, recognized by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the Government of Canada. A not-for-profit organization, Canada Basketball leads the growth and development of the game at all levels, from grassroots participation to high performance international competition, including the development of athletes, coaches, and officials across the country, in alignment with its provincial and territorial sport organizations. The organization strives for excellence on the world stage while serving the best interests of Canada by making basketball safer, more accessible, more equitable, and more impactful in communities coast-to-coast-to-coast. Canada's Senior Women's, Men's, and 3x3 National Teams, along with its age-group programs, proudly represent the nation in international play, competing with the best in the world.
About Canadian Women & Sport
Canadian Women & Sport is a national nonprofit and the leading voice for women and sport in Canada for more than 40 years. We believe in the power of sport as a platform to advance equity for women across all areas of society. As a systems‑change organization, we work across the sport sector to drive better outcomes for all. We are committed to building a more equitable and inclusive sport system that empowers women and girls as participants and as leaders, both within sport and through sport.
SOURCE Toronto Tempo
For additional information, contact: Bri Bijman, Tempo Basketball, [email protected]
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