The Ontario government announced on Wednesday that it is investing over $15 million to support sports and recreation organizations as well as high performance athletes.
According to details given by Ontario Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries Lisa MacLeod, $2.35 million is for the Ontario Hockey League’s (OHL) for post-secondary education scholarships for athletes on the 17 Ontario based teams.
With the investment, each team will receive about $138,000 to help them meet their player scholarship commitments.
The OHL is one of three major junior hockey leagues in Canada that make up the Canadian Hockey League (CHL).
“While we work towards recovery, we want to ensure Ontario’s sport and recreation sector is strong, vibrant and remains a source of pride for our province, with a positive impact on the lives of Ontarians,” MacLeod said in a statement.
“We are committed to supporting the sector during the pandemic and ensuring that, through programs like these, sport and recreation remains at the heart of Ontario’s communities.”
Lisa MacLeod, Ontario’s minister of heritage, sport, tourism and culture Industries, announced $2.35 million for the Ontario Hockey League’s (OHL) for post-secondary education scholarships for athletes on the 17 Ontario based teams. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Tijana Martin)
The Ontario government is also investing in other sports initiatives, including $3 million in 2020-21 for SPORT4ONTARIO to deliver a pilot program that helps kids and parents regain confidence in sport and recreation activities, and $3.6 million for 63 recognized provincial sports organizations to support member community sports clubs.
The provincial government is also giving $6.36 million in 2020-21 for Quest for Gold Canada in order to support about 550 Ontario athletes who have reached national competition level as part of Quest for Gold’s Canada Card program.
“On behalf of SPORT4ONTARIO, we’d like to thank Minister MacLeod and the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries for this incredible funding investment,” said Michele O’Keefe, the chair of SPORT4ONTARIO’s board of directors. “We believe in the power of sport as a tool to strengthen our community and together, we will build back better.”
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