QUESTION PERIOD — Canadian Heritage
Funding for Sports
March 24, 2026
Senator Moreau, the Future of Sport in Canada Commission’s final report released today makes clear that sport is essential not only for Canadians’ health and well‑being but also for national pride and international competitiveness. In 2010, Canada owned the podium and stood at the top of the world as the number one gold-medal nation. Today, following the 2026 Winter Games, Canada finished ninth in gold medals, with five, and eighth in total medals, with 21. This is Canada’s lowest medal count at the Winter Olympics since 2002.
While the Prime Minister and other members of government are quick to put on Team Canada jerseys for a photo op, core federal sports funding has remained frozen for 20 years, a 50% cut in real value when adjusted for inflation. Other nations are outpacing us by as much as 10 to 1. Is the government’s plan for Canadian athletes to simply hope they can win on grit alone? Or will you make the necessary investments to get Canada back to being more competitive?
Thank you for the question, senator. I answered the question, I think, two weeks ago to one of your colleagues, and I understand that we do not measure the importance of sport by the number of medals that our athletes are winning at the Olympic Games. This being said, though, I understand that the government is working to improve the financing of sports in Canada, and that announcement will probably be made shortly.
The commission’s report also emphasizes that sport in Canada has become a luxury for people who can afford it. In the last number of years, the cost of youth sports has exploded, with families now paying thousands of dollars annually, leading to a massive drop in participation among kids from middle- and low-income homes. Girls especially drop out as they move into adolescence. This decline doesn’t stop there. Barely 14% of our seniors are sufficiently active as they age. We know that sport and physical activity benefit us in so many ways, from physical and mental health —
Thank you, senator.
The government recognizes that sport is a core part of our Canadian identity and should be accessible to all. As I mentioned earlier, I know that there is discussion going on actually within the government that will probably lead to an announcement in the near future concerning the increase of support for sports in Canada.
Just as a reminder, there is 60 seconds for the first question and 60 seconds for the answer, and then 30 seconds for the supplementary question and 30 seconds for the answer. Thank you.
