The Government of Canada is committed to building stronger, healthier communities across the country. The transformative power of sport plays an important role in achieving this goal. It builds self-esteem and leadership skills and allows people to grow and thrive-physically, emotionally and socially."
To support organized sport at the community level, the Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, announced today that Rowing Canada Aviron, as a national-level organization, will receive $885,000 in funding in 2022-23 from the Community Sport for All initiative.
Rowing Canada Aviron clubs will be invited to submit their applications to Rowing Canada Aviron to receive community-level project funding, which will be distributed starting this summer. Proposed activities will address barriers to participation in sport, particularly among Black, Indigenous and racialized communities, 2SLGBTQQIA+ groups, low-income or newcomer populations, as well as people with disabilities.
Minister St-Onge also took the opportunity to announce support for rowing through Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan). PacifiCan will be providing $500,500 in Canada Community Revitalization Fund (CCRF) support to the Canadian Amateur Rowing Association.
The funding will help the association establish a new national training centre and home for rowing in the Cowichan Valley by enabling infrastructure upgrades, including new parking spaces, sustainable and accessible paths, a staging area, coach boathouse and docks for launching watercraft.
Rowing Canada Aviron, Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities and KidSport Canada are the first three national-level funding recipients being announced under the Community Sport for All Initiative. More opportunities for community-based groups to apply for funding will come soon as all national-level recipients will be announced this summer. The role of the national-level recipients is to redistribute funding to community-based groups.
As announced in Budget 2021, up to $80 million over two years will be distributed across the country. The investment will help kick-start accessible local organized sports and remove barriers to participation in sport programming.