Mail from the Canadian Olympic Committee
TORONTO (December 12, 2022) – On Monday, federal Minister of Sport the Honorable Pascal St-Onge announced a $2.4 million investment to support High Performance Sport Canada’s Mental Health Strategy.
This investment in the Mental Health Strategy for High Performance Sport will enable organizations in Canada’s high performance sport community to provide athletes, coaches and other stakeholders in the sport system with greater support for crisis care, education and training.
The Canadian Olympic Committee, the Canadian Paralympic Committee, its chair and the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network issued the following statements Monday in support of the announcement:
“The COC applauds Minister St-Ong and the Government of Canada for this important investment in Canadian sport. Investments like these, which will address the urgent mental health needs of Canadian athletes, are an important step towards making sport as safe and inclusive as possible. This was a particularly challenging time for the mental health and wellness of Canadian athletes. We are delighted to see that the majority of these funds will go directly to Game Plan, the athlete wellness program we created in 2014 with our sports partners and Deloitte, and will further enhance athletes’ mental health and wellness expertise. and programs. »
– David Shoemaker, CEO of the Canadian Olympic Committee
“We recognize the leadership of Minister St. Onge and the Government of Canada as they continue to advocate for safe and inclusive sport, including investing in a high-performance system to improve and maintain mental health. CPC is also pleased to collaborate with partners COC, OTP and COPSIN to ensure optimal delivery and enhance prevention. Today’s important announcement from the Government of Canada supports CPC’s commitment to creating a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment for athletes, guides, coaches and participants.”
– Karen O’Neill, CEO of the Canadian Paralympic Committee
“This much-needed financial investment will allow us to provide the necessary support for Own the Podium and its partners to build on the cultural and wellness work already underway to support Canada’s national sports organizations to provide a safe, fun and enjoyable experience.” protects all participants in a high performance environment. We want to thank Minister St-Ong and the Government of Canada for their continued care and commitment to ensuring that everyone in Canada’s sport system feels supported, safe and enjoys their personal journey in sport.”
– Anne Merklinger, Executive Director, Chair Owner
“Working with Olympic and Paralympic athletes every day across Canada, experts at Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute network member institutes and centers are on the front lines to see the urgent and growing need for services and initiatives. that support the mental health and wellness of athletes. More than 10,000 athletes will benefit from increased education and programming through our Network of Canada’s top sports tracks. The members of the COPSI network are grateful to Minister St-Ong and the Government of Canada for their interest in the mental health and wellness of athletes and welcome this innovative investment that will make a difference in both their daily training and performance, as well as their activities. post-career planning”.
– Gaetan Robitaille, spokesperson for the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sports Institutes Network
– 30 –
Media contacts:
Thomas Hall, Director of Communications and Public Relations
Canadian Olympic Committee
C: 514-709-1054
E: thall@olympic.ca:
Nicole Watts, Manager, Public Relations
Canadian Paralympic Committee
C: 613-462-2700
E: nwatts@paralympic.ca
Chris Dornan, Communications Advisor
Own the pulpit
C: 403-620-8731
E: chris.dornan@ownthepodium.org
Jean Gosselin, Lead Communications
Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sports Institutes Network
C: 514-757-9092
E: jgosselin@insquebec.org