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Secretary of State van Koeverden highlights sport investments from Spring Economic Update 2026: Canada Strong for All, to build stronger and safer communities
I am pleased to be with you all here today on the traditional and unceded territory of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
Sport does its most important work in communities.
From local programs and community leagues to representing your hometown, or country, on the world stage:
Sport has the power to shape lives and connect people in ways that very few things can
Whether you play on a local sports team, cheer on your favourite athletes, or volunteer in a community game at a recreation centre, sport brings us together.
It is about Places where People can build community and connection.
In fact, it can be one of our most powerful tools for social connection. And when done well, these partnerships are built on trust, teamwork, access, and belonging:
A Canada that comes together through sport is a country united.
A Canada that's strong.
A Canada that can stand up to anything, or anyone.
Together, from playground to podium, our new government is Building Canada Strong for all - with proven nation-building tools.
Build
Canadians have entrusted our new government to move from reliance to resilience - and Prime Minister Mark Carney is leading Canada with a fiscally prudent, socially compassionate, environmentally responsible, and economically ambitious approach - future-focused on our collective success and wellbeing.
In the fall, we started to build by investing in sport infrastructure.
The Places. The hearts of our communities.
Now, we are investing in the People.
SEU Announcement
Our new government believes strongly - that Sport is our ultimate nation-building project.
That's why today, we are making a generational investment in sport.
The largest investment in Canada's sport system in all of Canadian history.
We are investing $755 million over the next five years in a plan to strengthen our sport system and create new opportunities for all Canadians to participate.
Here's how:
Protect
A strong sport system is one that Canadians can trust and believe in.
One that is safe, inclusive, affordable, and built to support people at every stage of their journey.
That means continuing to strengthen safety, integrity, and transparency across the system.
This means accountability, and results.
To receive funding from the Government of Canada, organizations must demonstrate good governance and make progress on safety measures in sport.
Significant progress has been made, but there's still a lot to be done.
There are necessary changes in the system that are critical to achieve this - and I once again thank everyone involved in the Future of Sport in Canada Commission's independent report, which has made forward-thinking recommendations that will guide our work to strengthen the system.
We will continue to work with sport partners to achieve these fundamental objectives, and together we will track results.
This is also the time for sport organizations to lead, while learning and partnering with community and grassroots organizations that deliver community sport every single day.
Success is not only defined by gold medals and world records. It is defined by access, belonging, health, higher physical activity levels, social and economic activity, and a better quality of life.
To achieve all that, it's participation that matters most.
Participation
Sport should be accessible AND affordable for all. No matter your background, income, or ability.
When more people participate, the benefits extend far beyond sport.
Health improves.
Communities grow stronger.
And our economy becomes more resilient.
For far too long, the Canadian Sport System has been fragmented with reasons why we just couldn't work together.
But they're not reasons, they're excuses. And with this investment, that ends today. This is a team sport, where every voice, experience, and perspective contributes to our future.
For 20 years, national sport organizations had a targeted mandate - largely focused on winning Olympic and Paralympic gold medals.
We are broadening that mandate today. Sport organizations will lead participation strategies with their clubs and affiliates, and will receive funding based on their ambition to offer their sport to more Canadians.
They'll do this by aligning and streamlining their systems, working more closely with the grassroots, private and philanthropic sectors, and by offering low and no cost sporting opportunities to more Canadian kids and families.
Especially for underrepresented communities, who face unique barriers to enter into, and stay in sport.
Our government remains committed to Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples & communities, particularly Calls 87-91, as they relate to sport.
We must go forward together in true partnership.
Teamwork is what makes the dream work. And nobody knows that better than our Canadian high-performance athletes.
Performance
Canada's top athletes are a great source of pride for our entire country.
Every time a Paralympic or Olympic athlete competes, they wear the maple leaf on their jersey, or the Canada name on their back - they represent us all.
Our athletes are our greatest ambassadors - whether it's our Special Olympics Athletes competing at the world games in Santiago, Chile, or our Canadian Rugby Teams playing for gold in front of record crowds in Twickenham in London - they make us so proud.
For as long as I can recall, Canadians have been forced to wonder and ask themselves: why aren't we there for our teams and athletes when we are such a fortunate nation, a proud and sport-loving country?
I am proud to say that with this historic $755 million investment in sport, Canadians no longer have to wonder why - because this is a world-class contribution to our world-class teams and athletes.
Everyone remembers where they were when Sydney Crosby scored that golden goal…
We all cheered when Alex Bilodeau owned the podium with Canada's first gold medal won on home soil.
Christine Sinclair scored two goals for Canada at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup…
And who can forget the enduring legacy of Brian McKeever winning 3 of his 16 career Paralympic gold medals at Vancouver 2010…
You're right, all of those events happened right here in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Host
Hosting sport events matters.
It's important for our place in the world.
It's a diplomatic asset, an engine of economic growth.
It's a lever for infrastructure development and an invitation to the private sector to invest in projects that build our nation.
This helps local businesses, tourism, construction, and the media.
Major international competitions inspire Canadians from coast to coast to coast - from the Arctic Winter Games in Whitehorse to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Milano-Cortina.
There is much more ahead right here in Canada:
- The Wheelchair Basketball World Championships in our Nation's Capital;
- the UCI World Cycling Championships on the streets of Montreal;
- Special Olympics Canada Summer Games in Medicine Hat, Alberta
And perhaps you have heard - Canada is co-hosting the largest event in the world with this summer's FIFA Men's World Cup in Toronto and Vancouver.
We are ready to cheer on Team Canada. And millions of people around the world will be watching this event.
Our cities, our businesses, our talent, and our communities will be in the spotlight. And the economic impact will be significant. FIFA World Cup 2026TM is expected to generate up to $2 billion in GDP for Canada and create thousands of jobs.
But our top priority is to deliver a safe, secure, and welcoming event. That is why today, we are also announcing an additional $145 million in federal funding to support enhanced security operations related to hosting the FIFA World Cup 2026.™
To conclude
But Canada is prepared to be a great co-host. It's in our roots.
Look at where we stand today - the significance of this gathering place for the three Indigenous Host Nations.
It is now also legacy sport infrastructure, on a street called Athletes way.
For those old enough to remember Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson's immense contributions to sport - he started Sport Canada, founded ParticipACTION with Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau - and he spoke passionately about sport in the context of national identity, youth development, and international co-operation.
All of those values, and the value inherent in sport - are truer still, today.
And as Prime Minister Mark Carney has said, we are Building Canada Strong, from the playground to the podium.
It supports our communities, produces value, connection, opportunity, and joy - and nothing makes us prouder than hearing O, Canada, seeing the Maple Leaf fly, and cheering our Canada on.
Today marks the largest contribution a Canadian government has ever made to sport.
And for that I say, Go Canada Go!
