The federal government said Monday that it can provide additional funding for Canadian athletes and spend money on sport facility upgrades, after Canada saw its weakest Olympic medal performance in nearly 4 a long time.
Secretary of State for Sport Adam van Koeverden made the funding announcement at Calgary’s Olympic Oval speedskating facility, which is able to get $52 million for upgrades equally split between the federal and Alberta governments.
Other ski racing and snowboard facilities in Alberta, including the Winsport Canada Olympic Park halfpipe in Calgary and the Nakiska National Ski Cross Training Centre in Kananaskis, may even receive funding from the $33.6-million total federal investment from the Construct Communities Strong Fund.
Van Koeverden also announced a $3-million top-up to the Athletic Assistance Program, which provides Canada’s high-performance athletes monthly cheques to assist pay their bills. The brand new funding will bring this system’s yearly total to $43 million.
“That is a very good era of Canadian sport, because we’re making the most important investments our country has ever seen in sport, from the playground to the rostrum,” he said.
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Team Canada earned 21 medals at this yr’s Winter Olympics in Italy, but missed the medal table’s top 10 for the primary time for the reason that 1988 Games in Calgary.
That yr was also the last time Canada took greater than every week to earn a gold medal. Freestyle skier Mikael Kingsbury earned Canada’s first gold of the Milan and Cortina Games on the ninth day of competition.
Following that performance and a plea for more funding from the Canadian Olympic Committee, Ottawa put aside $660 million over the following five years for national sport organizations within the spring economic update, in addition to $110 million annually after that.
Olympic and Paralympic athletes each currently receive about $2,175 monthly through the Athlete Assistance Program, or “carding.” The brand new top-up announced Monday will increase that monthly allotment to $2,300, a government statement said.
Greater than 1,900 athletes in greater than 90 sport disciplines are approved for AAP support annually. Ottawa said Monday that 30 more cards can be granted to athletes competing in latest sports at upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Olympic Oval was built for the 1988 Games and its ice-making capability is nearing the tip of its life as a consequence of brine leaks from the aging underground pipes, local officials said Monday.
It is usually the oldest amongst Canada’s three skating ovals, with newer facilities opened in B.C. and Quebec in 2010 and 2021, respectively.
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