People of all ages and abilities across Vancouver Island will have more opportunities to get involved in fun, community-based sport programs through the latest round of grants in the joint federal-provincial Community Sport Development Program (CSDP).

In Sooke, Thunder Rugby and Sooke Tennis and Pickleball Club both receive grants.

• Thunder Rugby, $1,000: The Thunder rugby school and community program will introduce or enhance rugby programs to Indigenous communities and schools with high Indigenous populations. Funding will go towards training Thunder rugby coaches and to provide each facility with rugby balls
• Sooke Tennis and Pickleball Club, $1,700: This program will expand the current spring/summer pickleball program into a year-round program taking place indoors during the winter months. Funding will go towards portable net systems that can be moved both indoors and outdoors, as well as coach training and indoor facility rental.

The CSDP is part of the BC Sport Participation Program, an application-based grant program funded by the governments of Canada and British Columbia and administered by viaSport. In fiscal year 2019-20, Canada and B.C. are making matched investments totalling more than $1.2 million. These investments are aimed at getting more people of all abilities active in their communities and involved in a variety of sports.

Communities, Indigenous groups and not-for-profit organizations can apply to receive grants that help them buy equipment, train leaders, officials and coaches, and teach participants sport skills.

On Vancouver Island, some of the programs include:

• expanding rugby participation in Indigenous communities and schools with high Indigenous populations, as well as increasing coach training in Sooke;
• providing beginner gymnastics programming designed to teach children gymnastics, including balance exercises, tumbling and mat work in Saanich; and
• offering culturally sensitive swimming opportunities for women and girls, low-income families and new Canadians in Victoria.

The CSDP has two intake periods each year. As part of the fall 2019 intake, the program is funding 32 projects with a total value of $80,970. On Vancouver Island, there are seven programs receiving a total of $15,450.

Highlights:

• Government invests more than $50 million annually to make sure people have equal opportunities to participate in and enjoy the benefits of sport.
• Recent investments in sport include:
  • $1.46 million to the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council to support Team British Columbia’s participation at the 2020 North American Indigenous Games in July 2020 in Halifax, N.S.
  • $2.5 million to Sport BC over the next three years to expand KidSport, to increase access for kids who have traditionally faced barriers to getting involved in sport and recreation, including under-represented population groups such as girls, Indigenous youth and new Canadians.
• viaSport is the main service delivery partner for government’s sport investments and works with 70 provincial sport organizations that provide programs and services to more than 660,000 provincial sport organization members.

Learn More:

• Read about Sport Canada’s work: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/culture/sport.html
• Learn about viaSport and the grant intake period, guidelines and applications: https://www.viasport.ca/grants

A backgrounder is available online: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/Community_Sport_Development_Program_Grant_Recipients_Vancouver_Island_Fall_2019.pdf