Removing barriers and increasing sport participation for underrepresented populations was the focus of an announcement today in North Bay.
The Honourable Anthony Rota, Member of Parliament for Nipissing-Timiskaming revealed the details of a local benefit from the Community Sport for All Initiative. KidSport Canada will be receiving over $4,000,000 from the funding program to disperse among their local organizations and KidSport North Bay, will be receiving $20,000.
Rota says, “Everyone in Canada, including people here in Nipissing-Timiskaming, should have access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities. But there are too many barriers and hurdles between some Canadians and their favorite activities. That’s why this funding is so important to help grow participation in KidSport locally, so that even more kids get to experience that that sense of community, belonging and fun.”
The funding will allow KidSport North Bay to increase their programming, allowing an additional 80-100 kids afford registration fees for sports they would not otherwise be able to afford those fees.
Chair of KidSport North Bay Dave Mendicino says, "Our Board appreciates this funding thru the Community for Sport initiative, it will assist our efforts in growing participation. Our Chapter has funded 21 sporting activities covering 42 Community organizations. We will work with them to encourage all families that could not otherwise afford to put their kids in organized sport to apply for funding."
Vice President of North Bay Minor Hockey Cory Fry says, “Sport and physical activity is such an important outlet for kids. With this funding, more kids will have opportunity to participate. This is fantastic!”
KidSport Canada is distributing the overall funding to community-based groups this summer. Proposed activities will address barriers to participation in sport, particularly among Black, Indigenous, racialized, 2SLGBTQQIA+, low-income and newcomer populations as well as people living with disabilities.
KidSport is a national not-for-profit organization, with funding support provided by the Government of Canada, that helps remove financial barriers that prevent kids from playing sport by providing assistance for registration fees and sport equipment to children aged 18 and under. Through a confidential application process, grants are administered through KidSport’s 166 community chapters so they can play a season of organized sport.
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