Canadian sport needs an overhaul. That was the conclusion of the Future of Sport in Canada Commission’s final report released Tuesday.
“The work must begin now,” said Lise Maisonneuve, a former chief justice of the Ontario court of justice, who headed the commission.
“Our review has revealed the Canadian sport system is broken, fragmented and in its present form, unsustainable.
“In many settings, and for far too many people, it has caused and continues to cause real lasting harm.”
The commission’s mandate was to make the Canadian sport system better and safer.
“As we discovered in our work, these two matters are deeply interconnected,” Maisonneuve said.
“Sport in Canada stands at a defining moment. Canadians expect meaningful and concrete transformation.”
Announced in December 2023 by former federal sports minister Carla Qualtrough, the commission was among various federal government remedies in response to a wave of maltreatment and abuse reports, both current and historical, that surfaced after the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing.
The commission held cross-country consultations, conducted a public survey, held a summit and issued two public reports over nearly two years.
Maisonneuve said the commission heard submissions from over 1,000 individuals, including 175 survivors of abuse and maltreatment.
“We listened and what we heard was heart-wrenching,” she said.
The report issued 98 calls to action for phased-in change over five years, but starting immediately.
The commission identified that abuse is widespread and ongoing at all levels of sport, and that complaint mechanisms are fragmented and inconsistent across the country.
Power imbalances create a culture of silence and “is one of the most dangerous features of the system,” Maisonneuve said.
“We heard repeatedly about athletes afraid to speak out, parents punished for raising concerns, whistleblowers sidelined, and victims re-traumatized by the complaint processes. Too often, winning, reputation and funding are prioritized over safety and dignity.”
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Federal funding hasn’t kept pace with inflation or the expanding responsibilities of sport organizations.
“An underfunded sports system is an unsafe sports system,” she said.
Sport overall has become too expensive, inaccessible and exclusive for broad participation, she added.
The report calls for a single federal minister responsible for sport with a dedicated department. Sport currently falls under both the Heritage and Health portfolios.
The report also states there should be a centralized sport entity overseeing sport as a Crown corporation, which is structured like a private corporation, but under government control.
“We need a new model of leadership,” Maisonneuve said. “Canada lacks a single point of leadership for sport and physical activity.”
Olympic moguls skier Philippe Marquis, who is now coaches Freestyle Canada’s young talent, took a wait-and-see approach to the final report, while he lauded the commission for its work.
“The one thing that keeps my optimism alive is the fact that we have a bit of this perfect storm right now,” said the 36-year-old from Quebec City.
“The recipe, the elements are here at this specific time to be transformational, so I am optimistic because of that. If we speak in three months, six months and nothing has moved and there’s no light in sight I think there will be a wave of discouragement across the system.
“The report is great. It’s based on fact. It’s concrete. It’s real. We’ve never had such a good portrait of the whole Canadian sports system.”
Secretary of Sport Adam van Koeverden said in a statement that the report makes clear that urgent, system-wide action is needed.
“We accept the findings and will now carefully review the recommendations and actions that must be taken to strengthen safe sport and improve the sport system at all levels in Canada,” he said.
“Abuse and maltreatment have no place in sport. Sport participants should have access to safe, welcoming, inclusive, and accountable sport environments that uphold public trust.
“We recognize that restoring trust in the sport system requires meaningful, co-ordinated action across all levels.”
There have been eight changes in the federal leadership of sport over 15 years of Liberal government.
Van Koeverden, who was appointed last year, said the report “will shape the next chapter of sport in Canada.”
“It also shows that we need to fix bigger, system-wide problems, including how sport is managed across the country and gaps in safety protections,” he continued. “It was the voices of survivors that broke the culture of silence. Their time, insights, and lived experiences have created a pathway forward for a better Canada.”
“Our new government will now focus on developing our response and implementation plan, working closely with the provinces and territories, Indigenous partners, athletes, under-represented communities, sport organizations and private sector stakeholders nationwide. This work will be grounded in stronger coordination, transparency, and accountability across the sport system.”
Funding was a common thread in the report. The Canadian Olympic and Paralympic committees have asked on behalf of national sport organizations in two successive federal budgets for an increase in core funding, which they say has been stagnant since 2005.
The most recent ask was for a $144-million increase in core funding, which is annual money NSOs count on to fund operations, athletes, coaches and support staff. One of the commission’s calls to action is every sport organization that receives federal funding have a safe sport officer on staff.
The federal government spends over $250 million annually on sport. In a published report in 2023-24, it was $266.8 million spent on high-performance sport, hosting international events, increasing sport participation and improving safe sport practices.
