The Government of Canada is Building Canada Strong through sport. From playground to podium, we are investing in communities, supporting athletes and uniting Canadians, because sport is the ultimate nation builder.
Today, through the Build Communities Strong Fund, the Honourable Adam van Koeverden, Secretary of State (Sport), and the Honourable John Zerucelli, Secretary of State (Labour) and Member of Parliament for Etobicoke North, announced a federal investment of $76 million to create new a state-of-the-art community centre at Humber Polytechnic's North Campus in Etobicoke.
The Government of Canada is building and upgrading places where Canadians come together, that includes the new Athletic and Community Recreation Hub (The Hub) at Humber; connecting kids and families with more opportunities to play and stay active, while making sure athletes of all-levels have a space to pursue excellence.
The Hub will feature six gymnasiums for provincial, national and international basketball competitions, creating more opportunities for Canadians to train and proudly wear the maple leaf on the world stage, while proving, once again, that Canada is the best sport-hosting nation in the world. The facility will also include a high-performance training centre, a domed playing field and expanded space for essential facilities. Available programming will double, supporting community, academic and athletic uses.
Talent is everywhere across our country, and opportunity should be too. The Hub will bring communities together and open the doors to sport for more Canadians, hosting local organizations and clubs with a commitment to 32,000 hours of community use each year. When more people participate, the benefits reach far beyond sport: healthier people, stronger communities and a more resilient economy.
By integrating the National Training Centre for Canada Basketball, The Hub will soon serve as the official home of basketball in Canada, housing their training and operations and helping athletes develop at every level.
Additionally, through new federal funding, the Government of Canada will provide a $1.8 million Sport Support Program top-up to Canada Basketball's overall annual funding, totalling $81.3 million for 2026-2027.
Today's announcement builds on the Government of Canada's $1 billion investment in sport, the largest in our nation's history, support Canadian athletes, strengthen sport infrastructure, increase participation and ensure Canada continues to host world-class sporting events. A country that comes together through sport is a country united.
