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) issued the following statement Tuesday regarding the announcement in the 2024 Federal Budget. The Federal Budget “proposes to provide $35 million over five years, starting in 2024-25, and $7 million ongoing to the Department of Canadian Heritage, for the Athlete Assistance Program. This would increase the funding allowance for supported athletes and support additional athletes in new Olympic & Paralympic sport disciplines.”
“We are truly appreciative of the Federal Government’s commitment to Canada’s athletes who represent our country ever single day. This added investment to the Athlete Assistance program will help to alleviate the financial strain experienced by our country’s athletes as they train and compete, and allow for ongoing competitive success on the international stage. We would like to thank Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Sport and Physical Activity Carla Qualtrough, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Sport and Physical Activity Adam van Koeverden, and all advocates of sport in the government, for this investment in Canada’s athletes.
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:
Jacob Morris
Coordinator, Communications and Digital Media
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