The Ontario government is providing $480,000 to Canadian Women & Sport to expand The Next Play program and create more affordable and inclusive sport opportunities for girls across the province.
The funding is part of the Inclusive Grassroots Recreation (IGR) program. It will allow The Next Play to support an additional 65 sport and recreation groups and train 195 community leaders to help recruit and retain girls in sport.
“Our government is proud to support Canadian Women & Sport and invest in programs that help girls lead healthier lives,” said Minister of Sport Neil Lumsden in a news release. “This investment will help remove financial barriers for families at a time when many are facing higher costs.”
Allison Sandmeyer-Graves, CEO of Canadian Women & Sport, says the funding will help create more inclusive programs. “Together with the Government of Ontario, we are creating sport and recreation environments that welcome more girls and women,” she said.
Since 2022, The Next Play has engaged more than 6,100 youth and 288 leaders from 140 community organizations across Ontario.
The Inclusive Grassroots Recreation program has helped over 65,000 children and youth from under-represented and marginalized communities participate in sport since 2021.
Ontario invests more than $23 million annually to support inclusive physical activity programming across the province.
Erin Thompson of the Ottawa Charge professional women’s hockey team said growing opportunities mean more young girls can now dream of becoming players, coaches, or leaders. “Now that they can see it, they can be it,” she said.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)