Canadian sport needs an overhaul. That was the conclusion of the Way forward for Sport in Canada Commission’s final report released Tuesday.
“The work must begin now,” said Lise Maisonneuve, a former chief justice of the Ontario court of justice, who headed the commission.
“Our review has revealed the Canadian sport system is broken, fragmented and in its present form, unsustainable.
“In lots of settings, and for a lot too many individuals, it has caused and continues to cause real lasting harm.”
The commission’s mandate was to make the Canadian sport system higher and safer.
“As we discovered in our work, these two matters are deeply interconnected,” Maisonneuve said.
“Sport in Canada stands at a defining moment. Canadians expect meaningful and concrete transformation.”
Announced in December 2023 by former federal sports minister Carla Qualtrough, the commission was amongst various federal government remedies in response to a wave of maltreatment and abuse reports, each current and historical, that surfaced after the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing.
The commission held cross-country consultations, conducted a public survey, held a summit and issued two public reports over nearly two years.
Maisonneuve said the commission heard submissions from over 1,000 individuals, including 175 survivors of abuse and maltreatment.
“We listened and what we heard was heart-wrenching,” she said.
The report issued 98 calls to motion for phased-in change over five years, but starting immediately.
The commission identified that abuse is widespread and ongoing in any respect levels of sport, and that criticism mechanisms are fragmented and inconsistent across the country.
Power imbalances create a culture of silence and “is one of the vital dangerous features of the system,” Maisonneuve said.
“We heard repeatedly about athletes afraid to talk out, parents punished for raising concerns, whistleblowers sidelined, and victims re-traumatized by the criticism processes. Too often, winning, repute and funding are prioritized over safety and dignity.”
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Federal funding hasn’t kept pace with inflation or the expanding responsibilities of sport organizations.
“An underfunded sports system is an unsafe sports system,” she said.
Sport overall has develop into too expensive, inaccessible and exclusive for broad participation, she added.
The report calls for a single federal minister accountable for sport with a dedicated department. Sport currently falls under each the Heritage and Health portfolios.
The report also states there must be a centralized sport entity overseeing sport as a Crown corporation, which is structured like a non-public corporation, but under government control.
“We’d like a brand new model of leadership,” Maisonneuve said. “Canada lacks a single point of leadership for sport and physical activity.”
Olympic moguls skier Philippe Marquis, who’s now coaches Freestyle Canada’s young talent, took a wait-and-see approach to the ultimate report, while he lauded the commission for its work.
“The one thing that keeps my optimism alive is the incontrovertible fact that we’ve a little bit of this perfect storm straight away,” said the 36-year-old from Quebec City.
“The recipe, the weather are here at this specific time to be transformational, so I’m optimistic due to that. If we speak in three months, six months and nothing has moved and there’s no light in sight I feel there will likely be a wave of discouragement across the system.
“The report is great. It’s based on fact. It’s concrete. It’s real. We’ve never had such a great portrait of the entire Canadian sports system.”
Secretary of Sport Adam van Koeverden said in a press release that the report makes clear that urgent, system-wide motion is required.
“We accept the findings and can now rigorously review the recommendations and actions that should be taken to strengthen protected sport and improve the game system in any respect levels in Canada,” he said.
“Abuse and maltreatment don’t have any place in sport. Sport participants must have access to protected, welcoming, inclusive, and accountable sport environments that uphold public trust.
“We recognize that restoring trust in the game system requires meaningful, co-ordinated motion across all levels.”
There have been eight changes within the federal leadership of sport over 15 years of Liberal government.
Van Koeverden, who was appointed last 12 months, said the report “will shape the subsequent chapter of sport in Canada.”
“It also shows that we want to repair larger, system-wide problems, including how sport is managed across the country and gaps in safety protections,” he continued. “It was the voices of survivors that broke the culture of silence. Their time, insights, and lived experiences have created a pathway forward for a greater Canada.”
“Our latest government will now give attention to developing our response and implementation plan, working closely with the provinces and territories, Indigenous partners, athletes, under-represented communities, sport organizations and personal sector stakeholders nationwide. This work will likely be grounded in stronger coordination, transparency, and accountability across the game system.”
Funding was a typical thread within the report. The Canadian Olympic and Paralympic committees have asked on behalf of national sport organizations in two successive federal budgets for a rise in core funding, which they are saying has been stagnant since 2005.
Probably the most recent ask was for a $144-million increase in core funding, which is annual money NSOs count on to fund operations, athletes, coaches and support staff. Certainly one of the commission’s calls to motion is every sport organization that receives federal funding have a protected sport officer on staff.
The federal government spends over $250 million annually on sport. In a broadcast report in 2023-24, it was $266.8 million spent on high-performance sport, hosting international events, increasing sport participation and improving protected sport practices.