The Government of Canada is committed to achieving gender equality in sport at every level by 2035. All Canadians should have the opportunity to participate and excel in sport regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or ability. Together with our communities, we can help ensure more women and girls in particular are able to enjoy the benefits of sport.
Today, Adam van Koeverden, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth and to the Minister of Canadian Heritage (Sport), announced that the Government of Canada is providing $196,270 to Guelph Soccer for the advancement of gender equality in soccer. He made this announcement on behalf of the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage.
This investment, provided through Sport Canada's Innovation Initiative, will support Guelph Soccer's She's Got Game - She Can Coach project and will be put towards programming, operations and research expenses such as coach certifications, facility rentals, equipment and consultations.
Through this new project, Guelph Soccer will work to decrease the gender participation gap in soccer by providing services and activities that will help reduce barriers for women to become soccer coaches. Girls and women aged 16-40 will be encouraged to take part in the program.
Quotes
"The Government of Canada is committed to building and maintaining an inclusive Canadian sport system and providing opportunities for women and girls in all aspects of sport, including coaching. We are proud to support She's Got Game - She Can Coach, Guelph Soccer's new project that will help place more women and girls into leadership roles in soccer."
-The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage
"For many young athletes, a good coach can make all the difference in the world, so I'm proud that we are partnering with Guelph Soccer to break down barriers and make it easier for women to get involved as soccer coaches. Our government understands the need to ensure the development and engagement of women and girls at all levels in sport, because we know that when we promote gender equality in sports, we all win."
-Adam van Koeverden, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth and to the Minister of Canadian Heritage (Sport)
"I am proud to see this important institution in our region benefit from the government's commitment to invest in a more equitable sport system. Today's announcement will ensure that Guelph Soccer can continue to provide opportunities for women and girls to participate and be leaders in sport and strengthen the sport community in Guelph."
-Lloyd Longfield, Member of Parliament (Guelph)
"At Guelph Soccer, we provide our members with quality sport programs that are fun, inclusive and accessible. Our She's Got Game - She Can Coach project will focus on increasing the number of women involved in coaching and leadership roles that will create positive role models for all our players, both boys and girls. We are confident that this project will lead to more girls playing soccer in our city and strive to create a sustainable and transferable model that we can share with sport organizations across the country. We'd like to thank Canadian Heritage for recognizing the importance of gender equity in sport by funding innovative ways to engage more women and girls in sport."
-Sara Orrell, Executive Director, Guelph Soccer
Quick facts
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In February 2019, Sport Canada launched the Innovation Initiative which provides funding to eligible organizations for testing approaches and to look at innovative ways of addressing the challenges of participation and retention of girls, women and other underserved populations in sport.
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The Government of Canada is the single largest investor in Canada's sport system, providing funding for initiatives to support our high-performance athletes and to promote sport participation among all Canadians, from playground to podium.
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Guelph Soccer is a non-profit soccer club in the city of Guelph established in the 1960s. With 3,500 current members, most of whom are youth, Guelph Soccer is the largest sport club in the city. Its mission is to inspire the community to reach its full potential by engaging in lifelong involvement in soccer.
