Login

Canadian Athlete Representatives request $6.3 Million increase to Athlete Assistance Program Funding in Budget 2024

TORONTO / OTTAWA – AthletesCAN, the association of Canada’s national team athletes, the Canadian Olympic Committee Athletes’ Commission (COC AC) and the Canadian Paralympic Committee Athletes’ Council (CPC AC) – the elected representatives of Olympians and Paralympians across Canada – announced Thursday a $6.3 Million request to the Minister’s Office to increase funding to the Athlete Assistance Program (AAP) in Budget 2024

The request represents an 18.8 per cent increase in AAP funding for national team athletes,  aligning with the rise in inflation since 2017 – the last time the program saw an adjustment. The request also proposes indexing the AAP to the inflation rate moving forward, similar to other Government-funded programs. 

“For Canada’s athletes to be competitive on the international stage, they are required to pursue sport full time,” said AthletesCAN President and artistic swimming Olympian Erin Willson. “Training demands and travel requirements make it impossible for athletes to pursue part-time work opportunities to support their living and training costs.”

The AAP, often referred to as carding, was originally designed as a living, training and tuition allowance for Canadian high performance athletes. This funding – which has partial and full status levels – is determined based on meeting AAP-approved, sport-specific carding criteria – including standards achieved at national and international competition, and being nominated by the athlete’s National Sport Organization (NSO). 

According to the most recently published edition of Sport Canada’s Status of the High Performance Athlete Survey, AAP funding makes up approximately 75 per cent or more of athletes’ annual income. At a maximum payment of $1,765 per month, most of Canada’s high performance athletes compete at the highest levels of sport while living on just over $21,000 per year – which for many athletes, is their lone source of income.

Today, the AAP is no longer reflective of the reality that athletes experience while pursuing their sports at the international level. Athletes are experiencing rising costs like all Canadians, with the majority of National Training Centres located in Canada’s most expensive cities – including Toronto, Vancouver / Victoria and Calgary – which have experienced a 13.1 per cent year-over-year increase in average rent, on top of increasing costs for team fees, equipment, travel and health and wellness

“Athletes are increasingly burdened by the rising expenses of the cost of training and living, leaving them in a financially vulnerable position,” said COC AC Chair and Olympic gold medalist in trampoline gymnastics Rosie MacLennan. “Addressing these concerns is crucial to retaining high performance athletes in sports and fostering healthy sports cultures. The uncertainty of athlete financial realities creates undue and inequitable power dynamics which may also result in increased risk of experiencing maltreatment in sport and/or reduced agency to report maltreatment in sport.”

The request aims to positively impact over 1,900 current national team athletes across the 68 sports currently competing in either the Major Multisport Games (Olympic/Paralympic, Pan/Parapan Am, Commonwealth) or those funded by Sport Canada that hold an annual Senior World Championship.

This request is independent of the recent budget appeal of $104 Million by the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) for the federal government’s core funding for NSOs. AthletesCAN, the COC AC and CPC AC full support this ask, as properly-resourced NSOs remain essential to providing support and services that enable Canada’s athletes to thrive on the international stage. However, without specific funding allocated directly to athletes in the manner of the AAP, athletes remain at risk.

“Parasport athletes play a pivotal role in creating more inclusive sport opportunities for each and every Canadian,” said CPC AC Chair and wheelchair basketball Paralympian Erica Gavel. “Given that para-sport athletes experience additional costs relative to their disability, sporting equipment, and transportation, an increase in funding would alleviate the financial strain experienced by our developing and senior carded athletes.”

BY THE NUMBERS

2019-20 Sport Canada Status of the High Performance Athlete Survey

  • 846 Paralympic, Olympic and Non-Olympic High Performance athlete participants
  • Average annual Income: $28,858 in 2018
  • Sport Canada’s AAP contribution average: $13,613
  • Sport Canada’s AAP maximum monthly contribution: $1,765/month
  • Provincial Assistance average: $3,689
  • Employment income: $10,074
  • Sport-related resources income $5,218
  • Sport Award income: $1,264
  • Athlete expenses: $4,400/month
  • Increase of more than 15 per cent since 2013-14
  • Nearly 30 per cent increase since 2009
  • Increase of $600/month from 2013-14 to 2018
  • Deficit of $1800/month or close to $22,000/year 

2022 COC AC Survey

  • 83 per cent of athletes said that financial health causes significant stress and contributed to the decision to leave sport prematurely
  • 80 per cent cite financial stability as key topic of mind

About AthletesCAN

AthletesCAN, the association of Canada’s national team athletes, is the only fully independent and most inclusive athlete organization in the country and the first organization of its kind in the world.  As the voice of over 6,000 current and recently retired Canadian national team athletes, AthletesCAN membership spans 68 sports across the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan/Parapan American, and Commonwealth Games, and those currently funded by Sport Canada competing at Senior World Championships. AthletesCAN ensures an athlete-centered sport system by developing athlete leaders who influence sport policy and, as role models, inspire a strong sport culture, through educational resources, support, training and professional development.  

Follow us on social @AthletesCAN and Join #TheCollective today.

About the COC Athletes' Commission

The COC Athletes’ Commission (@TeamCanadaAC) represents the voice of Canadian Olympic athletes to the Canadian Olympic Committee Board of Directors, to Sport Canada, to the International Olympic Committee, international sport federations and all other domestic sport organizations. It is instrumental in presenting Canadian athletes’ perspectives in areas ranging from athlete rights, safe sport policies, marketing & COC partnership agreements, Olympic team selection policies and much more.

About the CPC Athletes' Council

The CPC Athletes’ Council is an elected group of current and retired Paralympic athletes (within the past eight years) that serve as the collective voice, advocating the best interests of Canada’s Paralympic athletes and the Paralympic movement within Canada. The Athletes’ Council works to provide input and recommendations from an athlete perspective to the Canadian Paralympic Committee staff, committees and Board of a Directors with respect to decision making at all levels of the organization.

For more information, please contact:

Alan Hudes
Manager, Communications and Sport Partnerships
AthletesCAN
613-526-4025 Ext. 224
[email protected] 

COC Athletes’ Commision
[email protected]
@TeamCanadaAC
bit.ly/3OEFMcT

CPC Athletes’ Council
[email protected] 
@CDNParalympics
paralympic.ca/athletes-council.

Athlete Rep Spotlight: Laura Walker, Curling

It’s Our Turn, AthletesCAN’s new marketing campaign focuses on the stories of athlete leaders across the 68 sports eligible for AthletesCAN membership. The campaign highlights a pivotal moment for a new era in sport governance, underlining the athlete representatives’ respective journeys into the athlete advocacy movement both in their careers and within their National Sport Organizations (NSOs).

Each week, AthletesCAN profiles a key athlete leader among its membership, highlighting how athlete representation has played a significant role in their career and within their National Sport Organization.

Laura Walker

Name: Laura Walker
Sport: Curling
Position / Event: Skip
National team tenure: 2018 – Present
Hometown: Edmonton, Alta.

How did you first hear about and get involved in athlete advocacy?

About two years ago now, a group of athletes within Curling Canada were brought together and we were just kind of asked questions and asked to discuss things that affected us, things within our High Performance Program and our National Team Program. And I think a lot of us had our eyes opened in that meeting to the fact that we hadn’t really been asked a lot of these questions before. We hadn’t had any of these discussions before, and a lot of us had been around for a really long time. From that group, our Athletes’ Council was formed and there’s now a group of us that are involved in athlete advocacy within Curling Canada. I have been on the Athletes’ Council since it began about two years ago. It grew out of us realizing that we maybe haven’t been asking important questions enough in the past.

Team Canada’s Laura Crocker and Kirk Muyres compete at the 2018 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship (World Curling/Richard Gray)
Team Canada’s Laura Crocker and Kirk Muyres compete at the 2018 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship (World Curling/Richard Gray)

Why is it important for the Canadian Sport System to prioritize an athlete-centred experience?

I think as an athlete, it’s a little bit frustrating and a bit perplexing to think about why it is that we as athletes have to push so hard for an athlete-centered sport experience. Sport doesn’t exist without athletes. We are sport and I think that a really good amount of positive and healthy sport experiences are life-changing for a lot of people. It certainly has been for me and to create those kinds of people in our world. I don’t think that there could be anything more important than giving the people who are involved in sport the best possible experience.

How have you used your athlete voice on behalf of your peers and how has it impacted your sport journey?

In May of 2023, I attended a Board meeting on behalf of the Athletes’ Council to basically request a seat at the table to request to have an Athlete Representative on the Board of Governors within Curling Canada. And from that process, we were able to have myself appointed to the Board. 

We now have an athlete in the room. We have an athlete at the table. We have someone there who’s part of the discussions and who can just bridge the gap between the athletes and the governance level at Curling Canada. So that’s something that we worked to achieve and I think it is extremely important and kind of a long time coming. So that’s affected my journey in the sense that I’m now a governor on the Board of Directors with Curling Canada, and it’s helped me really learn a lot and see that there’s more than one side. I think sometimes as athletes, we want to see change. We want certain things to happen for us. And now I am seeing why certain things are happening, why certain decisions are made. It’s really helping me to understand the big picture within curling and kind of balance all of the different factors and different stakeholders. That has certainly been eye-opening and a really positive experience for myself as both an athlete and now as an advocate

What is your favourite memory being an Athlete Rep / being involved in athlete advocacy? 

I think my favourite memory was actually sitting in that meeting room with the Board. I think I went into it not really knowing what to expect. I hadn’t really met a lot of the Board members before. I didn’t know them. I didn’t know what kind of reaction they would have to me, asking to be a part of it. 

And I remember being met with such positive feedback, with such open-mindedness. The Board was really open to wanting to make this happen somehow, someway. And I remember that being just kind of a great feeling, knowing that we’re all on the same side and we just have to figure out how we can get there together. I think that’s a real testament to curling, but I think also kind of a lesson for other athletes in other sports that sometimes you just have to ask. Sometimes you just have to get in the room and have a candid, from-the-heart conversation. And you might be surprised what could come of that.

What have you learned about being a leader in your sport?

I’ve just learned how much learning there is to do and always will be to do. I think certainly in curling, but I’m sure in a lot of other NSOs, a lot of factors kind of exist in a bit of a vacuum. There might be the High Performance side, the governance, the staff, the events, the operations. All of these things happen a little bit independently of each other. And I think I’ve learned how beneficial it can be for all of those pieces to learn a little bit more about the other pieces of the puzzle and kind of listen to all sides. I just think that that’s really important and something that I may have overlooked in the past. And I’m really looking forward to continuing to learn more in the future.

Why should your peers join AthletesCAN and/or get more involved in the leadership of their National Sport Organization?

If not now, then when?  There are a lot of positive changes coming out with the Sport Governance code changing, with this kind of narrative in Canadian sport around creating that more athlete-centered sport experience. And I think athletes in the past have had this notion of wanting to get more involved. They’ve felt like maybe they’re not heard. They have had these feelings of wanting to do more, but either not necessarily having the time with our busy training and competition schedules and just not really knowing how. 

And that’s where AthletesCAN comes in. There’s just so many great resources and great people that it’s all out there for you. You don’t have to figure it out by yourself. You don’t have to have this daunting task of knowing where to start. You can start with AthletesCAN, and you can get a lot of your information from there. And it just makes it a lot less daunting to take that step to get involved and start to advocate for yourself.

Commonwealth Games Federation appoints former AthletesCAN President Claire Carver-Dias Regional VP for the Americas

Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and Commonwealth Sport Canada (CSC) are proud to announce the appointment of Claire Carver-Dias as CGF Regional Vice-President for the Americas until the 2024 General Assembly.

Claire has more than 20 years of dedicated service to the Commonwealth Sport Movement, both on and off the field of play. She has served on a variety of Commonwealth Sport Canada Committees and in 2014 was elected to the Commonwealth Sport Canada Board of Directors, becoming President in 2022. A decorated athlete in her own right, Claire won multiple medals at international competitions, including two gold medals in synchronized swimming at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. In 2018, she led Team Canada as the Chef de Mission, with the team equalling their best ever medal haul. She also served as Co-Chef de Mission for Team Canada at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Claire is an active contributor to several multi-sport organizations in Canada, including the Canadian Olympic Committee, Coaching Association of Canada, AthletesCAN and Olympians Canada.

Call for Nominations for CSIO Athlete Council

Canadian Sport Institute Ontario (CSIO) is putting out a call for nominations to you, the athletes residing and training here in Ontario, to join our Athlete Council!

The Athlete Council is a standing committee of CSIO. With CSIO being an athlete-centered sport organization, the Athlete Council’s objective is to represent the best interests of CSIO affiliated athletes. The Athlete Council’s mandate is to articulate and develop recommendations from an athlete’s perspective to best influence services offered by CSIO, the flow and conditions of our facilities, and more.

Nominations can be made for yourself, or you can nominate a fellow athlete who you think would be a great fit for this Council. Please see the attached document (Appendix B – Nomination Form) to complete your nomination before March 3 at 11:59 PM.

 

Rugby Canada and the Canadian Rugby Players Association announce new collective agreement

Rugby Canada and the Canadian Rugby Players Association (CRPA) are pleased to announce a new Collective Agreement, entering 2024 with a strong foundation for the partnership between the two entities for the next three years.

Rugby Canada and the CRPA underwent an in-depth, thorough and inclusive process in 2023 to develop the Collective Agreement with the assistance of key stakeholders and legal counsel.

The Collective Agreement guides collaboration between Rugby Canada and the CRPA, provides national team players with formal representation, and outlines the rights and responsibilities of all parties.

“We went through a comprehensive process with Rugby Canada last year in developing this Collective Agreement and are pleased to now continue working together with this foundation in place. The CRPA’s goal is to protect, promote, represent and develop Canadian rugby players, and we look forward to continuing this together with Rugby Canada.”

Olivia Apps - CRPA Women’s 7s Representative

AthletesCAN announces community partnership with Canadian Sport Institute Ontario

TORONTO – AthletesCAN, the association of Canada’s national team athletes, is proud to announce a new community partnership with Canadian Sport Institute Ontario (CSIO).

Through this partnership, CSIO-affiliated athletes will have access to AthletesCAN’s resources, educational programs, and services offered to its membership of over 6,000 current and recently-retired Canadian senior national team athletes.

"AthletesCAN is thrilled to be expanding our relationship with Canadian Sport Institute Ontario. CSIO is a valuable training, recovery, and education space for our many Ontario-based national team athletes, and we look forward to deepening our collaboration through this community partnership."

Andrea Proske - AthletesCAN Vice President

Kicking off the partnership, CSIO-affiliated athletes will have the opportunity to register for and attend a pair of Town Halls at CSIO at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (TPASC), on Tuesday, Jan. 30 at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. ET. Each session will educate athletes on how AthletesCAN serves them as their national association (AthletesCAN 101), allow them to share feedback on the current state of the athlete experience within their respective sports, and facilitate networking with their peers. The events are part of a series of National Team Athlete Town Halls taking place this winter in collaboration with the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network (COPSIN).

In addition, AthletesCAN will begin piloting open office hours for CSIO-affiliated athletes at CSIO’s TPASC location, so athletes can connect with the organization’s staff and/or Board of Directors directly on site.

“CSIO is excited to welcome AthletesCAN as a community partner. This partnership will allow both of our organizations the opportunity to leverage our strengths and further promote valuable sport system resources, supports, and engagement to athletes.”

Debbie Low - CEO of Canadian Sport Institute Ontario

To inquire about accessing services from AthletesCAN and more information on this Community Partnership, please contact AthletesCAN at [email protected] or the CSIO Athlete Services Team at [email protected]

About Canadian Sport Institute Ontario

Canadian Sport Institute Ontario (CSIO) is a non-profit organization committed to the pursuit of excellence by providing best-in-class programs, services, and leadership to high performance athletes, coaches, and National and Provincial Sport Organizations to enhance their ability to achieve international podium performances. Our team of expert staff deliver sport science, sport medicine, life services, and coaching and technical leadership support to help Canada win medals and strengthen the sport system in Ontario and Canada. CSIO is part of the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network, working in partnership with the Canadian Olympic Committee, Canadian Paralympic Committee, Own the Podium, and the Coaching Association of Canada. CSIO is further supported by funding partners such as the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport and Sport Canada. www.csiontario.ca.

About AthletesCAN

AthletesCAN, the association of Canada’s national team athletes, is the only fully independent and most inclusive athlete organization in the country and the first organization of its kind in the world.  As the voice of over 6,000 current and recently retired Canadian national team athletes, AthletesCAN membership spans 68 sports across the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan/Parapan American, and Commonwealth Games, and those currently funded by Sport Canada competing at Senior World Championships. AthletesCAN ensures an athlete-centered sport system by developing athlete leaders who influence sport policy and, as role models, inspire a strong sport culture, through educational resources, support, training and professional development.  

Follow us on social @AthletesCAN and Join #TheCollective today.

For more information, please contact:

Alan Hudes
Manager, Communications & Sport Partnerships
AthletesCAN
613-526-4025 Ext. 224
[email protected] 

Laura Albright
Senior Advisor, Communications & Marketing
Canadian Sport Institute Ontario
647-395-536
[email protected]

AthletesCAN to host National Team Athlete Town Halls in collaboration with Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network

TORONTO – AthletesCAN, the association of Canada’s National Team athletes, is proud to announce an upcoming series of in-person Town Halls, in collaboration with the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network (COPSIN).

The National Team Athlete Town Halls will take place this winter, hosted at the main campuses of the Canadian Sport Institutes and Centres across the country, as well as Institut national du sport du Québec. Each event will educate athletes on how AthletesCAN serves them as their national association (AthletesCAN 101), allow them to share feedback on the current state of the athlete experience within their respective sports, and facilitate networking with their peers.

“AthletesCAN is excited to be hosting our 2024 Town Halls in collaboration with the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network. These in-person events are an important touchpoint with our membership, giving us valuable insight to help us ensure they have an athlete-centred experience, while allowing them to connect with the larger sporting community.”

Andrea Proske - AthletesCAN Vice President

Kicking off the Town Hall schedule, the first event will be hosted by Canadian Sport Institute Ontario at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre on Tuesday, Jan. 30. The full schedule is as follows:

Canadian Sport Institute Ontario (Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre) – Tuesday, Jan. 30, 1 p.m. & 3 p.m. ET

Canadian Sport Institute Pacific (Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence – Victoria, B.C.) – Tuesday, Feb. 13, 1 p.m. PT

Canadian Sport Centre Manitoba (Frank Kennedy Centre – Winnipeg, Man. / Virtual via Zoom) – Tuesday, Feb. 27, 6 p.m. CT

Institut national du sport du Québec (INS Complexe at Olympic Park – Montréal, Que.) – Tuesday, Mar. 12, 1 p.m. ET

Canadian Sport Institute Calgary (WinSport) – Tuesday, Mar. 26, 7 p.m. MT

This in-person series follows an initial virtual Town Hall for Canadian Sport Institute Atlantic and Canadian Sport Centre Saskatchewan-affiliated athletes held on Nov. 16. 

“The Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network is proud to support AthletesCAN in the delivery of their Town Hall sessions across the country. AthletesCAN is an important resource for athletes in the sport system, and the Town Halls will provide a great opportunity for athletes to share their experiences, as well as learn from and network with their peers. We encourage all eligible athletes to participate in these sessions.”

Debbie Low - COPSIN Representative and CEO of Canadian Sport Institute Ontario

Additional Town Halls at other COPSIN-affiliated facilities – including the Mattamy National Cycling Centre (Milton, Ont.), the Beach Volleyball High Performance Centre and Athletics Canada East Hub Training Centre (both in Toronto), the David S. Howes Performance Centre at Canada Games Park (Thorold, Ont.) the Richmond Olympic Oval (Richmond, B.C.), the Whistler Athletes’ Centre (Whistler, B.C.) and Canmore Nordic Centre (Canmore, Alta.) – will also be evaluated based on athlete interest. 

National Team athletes can register for their respective Town Hall at the link below.

About the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network

Every. Single. Day. – The Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network is focused on elevating athletes along their high-performance pathway through leadership, education, research and delivery of performance, health and wellness solutions.  It includes nutrition, performance analysis, physiology, sport medicine, sport therapy, strength and conditioning, mental health and performance, and Game Plan.

Our Network of seven institutes and centres across Canada provides athletes and coaches with access to world-class facilities where they can train and excel.

About AthletesCAN

AthletesCAN, the association of Canada’s national team athletes, is the only fully independent and most inclusive athlete organization in the country and the first organization of its kind in the world.  As the voice of over 6,000 current and recently retired Canadian national team athletes, AthletesCAN membership spans 68 sports across the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan/Parapan American, and Commonwealth Games, and those currently funded by Sport Canada competing at Senior World Championships. AthletesCAN ensures an athlete-centered sport system by developing athlete leaders who influence sport policy and, as role models, inspire a strong sport culture, through educational resources, support, training and professional development.  

Follow us on social @AthletesCAN and Join #TheCollective today.

For more information, please contact:

Alan Hudes
Manager, Communications & Sport Partnerships
AthletesCAN
613-526-4025 Ext. 224
[email protected] 

Laura Albright
Senior Advisor, Communications & Marketing
Canadian Sport Institute Ontario
Representative of COPSIN
647-395-536
[email protected]

Curling Canada: Former athlete rep Nolan Thiessen named CEO

A familiar face has been named Curling Canada’s new Chief Executive Officer, it was announced today.

Nolan Thiessen, a three-time Brier and former world men’s curling champion, who has been a member of the Curling Canada senior management team for the past four years, will take the position following a thorough and exhaustive search and interview process conducted by an external agency, SRI, alongside Curling Canada’s Board of Governors CEO hiring committee.

He replaces Katherine Henderson, who departed Curling Canada in August to take the position of CEO and president at Hockey Canada.

Thiessen was a member of Brier-winning teams in 2010, 2014 and 2015, and was a member of Canada’s world championship gold-medal team in 2010.

He retired as a competitive curler following the 2015-16 season, and took on duties as an Athlete Liaison for Curling Canada in 2016 and also served as a consultant. He was formally hired two years later, and most recently served as the Executive Director, Marketing and Fan Experience.

Thiessen also has been active internationally, serving on the World Curling Federation’s Athlete Commission for more than five years (and chairing the commission for three of those years), and then moving onto the WCF’s Competition and Rules Commission a year ago.

46th Canadian Sport Awards: Women’s Goalball Parapan American Games triumph named 2023 Most Trending Moment of the Year Presented by Respect Group

TORONTO – AthletesCAN, the association of Canada’s national team athletes, is proud to announce the Canadian women’s goalball team’s golden victory at the 2023 Parapan American Games in Santiago, Chile has been named the 2023 People’s Choice Award for Most Trending Moment of the Year Presented by Respect Group.

The team’s triumph in Santiago emerged as the winners, following a two-week national online campaign, featuring 10 unforgettable Team Canada moments from the past year, capturing over 1,700 votes from coast-to-coast-to-coast.

In their last chance to qualify for the Paris 2024 Paralympics, the same group of six players who finished a disappointing ninth at the Tokyo Paralympics completed their comeback journey, defeating their rivals Team USA 4-3 in a tense gold medal match. The win earned Team Canada their first-ever gold in goalball at the Parapan Am Games, after three consecutive bronze medals.

“I would like to thank each and every person who took the time to vote and to share our accomplishment. We felt the entire country behind us the whole tournament and we appreciate everyone for the love and support that you continue to share.”

Amy Burke - Team Captain

The People’s Choice Award for Most Trending Moment of the Year Presented by Respect Group, a headversity company, honours a current or retired national team athlete who has captured the virtual world by storm. The award highlights the magic that lives within sport to inspire and motivate all Canadians through innovative use of a digital platform, captivating athletic performance, or whose digital actions have been a force for good. 

Rounding out the podium were Olympian ice dance figure skaters Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier and their perseverance through a successful 2022-23 season following Gilles’ ovarian cancer diagnosis, along with wheelchair rugby Paralympian Zak Madell’s entertaining Instagram series, highlighting both his own strength and that of his equipment in running over everyday items.

Other athletes in contention included skateboarder Fay de Fazio Ebert, alpine skier Laurence St-Germain, athletics hammer throwers Ethan Kaztberg and Camryn Rogers, para cyclist Nathan Clement, breaker Philip Kim, boccia athlete Alison Levine and athletics 1500m runner Charles Philibert-Thiboutot. The 10 finalists were selected in consultation with the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Committees, as well as CBC Sports.

Canadian Sport Awards: Most Trending Moment of the Year Presented by Respect Group

A dedicated AthletesCAN partner since 2019, Respect Group, helped celebrate these 10 moments, by serving as the Presenting Sponsor of the campaign. Respect Group has been working for nearly 20 years to eliminate bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination by inspiring a global culture of respect. Respect Group will also continue to offer all AthletesCAN members complimentary access to its Respect in Sport for Activity Leaders training course.

“Respect Group has been thrilled to work with AthletesCAN to deliver this award, it is truly about how sport brings people together and can bring out the best in all of us. We congratulate the Canadian women’s goalball team on their victory, and all of the moments nominated, who helped inspire Canadians to be better.”

Sheldon Kennedy - Respect Group co-founder and former professional hockey player

This marks the third straight year a team sport has taken home the Most Trend Moment, following last year’s win by the 3×3 men’s and women’s basketball and wheelchair basketball basketball teams and their medal performances at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, and the Canadian women’s soccer team’s Olympic gold medal earning the honour the year before. Paralympian swimmer Danielle Kisser, with the creation of her do-it-yourself swimming pool that she used to train for the Tokyo Games, was named the inaugural winner in 2020. 

The celebration of the Canadian women’s goalball team this year marks the conclusion of the 46th Canadian Sport Awards (CSAs) , with all winners receiving a blown glass sculpture in the shape of the triumphant athlete depicted in the AthletesCAN logo, carefully crafted by Fireweed Glass Studio Ltd.

"We appreciate the support of Respect Group and all of our partners for helping us elevate and amplify the amazing achievements of our national team athletes. These moments exemplify the best of what AthletesCAN, Respect Group, and Team Canada stand for. We are thrilled for the Canadian women’s goalball team and congratulate all of our members who took part in the competition.”

Celina Toth - CSA Committee Chair

About Respect Group

Respect Group, a headversity company, was incorporated in 2004 by co-founders, Sheldon Kennedy and Wayne McNeil, to pursue their common passion: the prevention of bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination (BAHD). As Canada’s leading online provider of prevention education related to BAHD, Respect Group has certified over 2.3 Million people involved in sport, schools and the workplace. Respect Group is a Certified B Corporation (bcorporation.net)

About the Canadian Sport Awards

The Canadian Sport Awards were established in 1972 by modern day co-founders True Sport, Canadian Centre for Ethics and Sport, Canada Games Council, Commonwealth Sport Canada, and AthletesCAN to recognize and showcase excellence in Canadian sport. Since then, the CSA evolved over time to become the premier recognition event for national sporting excellence. After the 40th anniversary, the awards experienced a five-year hiatus. In 2017, AthletesCAN successfully acquired the rights to revive this staple event to once again bring together members of the sport community to honour the spirit, drive, and commitment of Canada’s international level athletes, coaches, volunteers, and sport leaders.

About AthletesCAN

AthletesCAN, the association of Canada’s national team athletes, is the only fully independent and most inclusive athlete organization in the country and the first organization of its kind in the world.  As the voice of over 6,000 current and recently retired Canadian national team athletes, AthletesCAN membership spans 68 sports across the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan/Parapan American, and Commonwealth Games, and those currently funded by Sport Canada competing at Senior World Championships. AthletesCAN ensures an athlete-centered sport system by developing athlete leaders who influence sport policy and, as role models, inspire a strong sport culture, through educational resources, support, training and professional development.  

Follow us on social @AthletesCAN and Join #TheCollective today.

For more information, please contact:

Alan Hudes
Manager, Communications & Sport Partnerships
AthletesCAN
613-526-4025 Ext. 224
[email protected] 

Joannie Morneau
Marketing Manager
Respect Group
514-882-1183
[email protected]

Abuse-Free Sport: Canada’s inaugural Sport Integrity Commissioner stepping down

MONTRÉAL – Sarah-Ève Pelletier, Canada’s inaugural Sport Integrity Commissioner, will be stepping down from the role in early 2024.

Commissioner Pelletier’s difficult but personal decision follows a successful launch and first 18 operational months of Abuse-Free Sport, Canada’s first-ever independent safe sport program.

“As Sport Integrity Commissioner, I have been driven by a deep motivation to act as an agent of positive change for the Canadian sport community — with athletes at the very heart of it. Since taking on this role, my passion for this mission has never wavered. I am proud of the groundwork accomplished within the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner (OSIC). I am certain that it will serve as a springboard for the Abuse-Free Sport program’s evolution, one that can only be beneficial to the advancement of safe sport for all.”

Sarah-Ève Pelletier