By Nick Butler

Gosal, sitting alongside COC President Marcel Aubut, has explained the importance of funding Olympians ©Toronto Star/Getty ImagesDecember 23 - Canadian Minister for Sport Bal Gosal has claimed that "helping our athletes achieve their dreams" is the reason for the unprecedented levels of funding provided by the Government for aspiring Summer and Winter Olympians.


Since the Government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper first assumed power in 2006, nearly $1 billion (£612 billion/€730 billion) has been invested in the Canadian high-performance sports system.

This makes the Government the nation's largest single contributor to sport.

To help Canada continue its success in winter sport, the Government has invested over $153 million (£94 million/€112 million) over the last four-year cycle, a 20 per cent rise from the previous four years ahead of Canada'a podium-topping performances at their home Games in Vancouver. 

This comes alongside other schemes including Own the Podium funding, with it being announced last week that a total of $37 million (£22.5 million/€28 million) will be invested over the next four years,

This will benefit summer as well as winter athletes and will also involve opportunities for sports, such as rugby sevens, which have never had substantial funding opportunities in the past. 

The considerable increases in Own the Podium funding announced earlier this month was another boost for Canadian athletes ©Winston Chow/COCThe considerable increases in Own the Podium funding announced earlier this month was another boost for Canadian athletes ©Winston Chow/COC


The Government explained how their support "provides our athletes with a strong system that includes access to high-quality training environments and world-class coaching".

This has allowed Canada to emerge "as a leading sport nation by providing our athletes access to cutting-edge sport science and research, a world-class training environment and some of the best coaching in the world," it was claimed. 

It is claimed Sochi 2014 will be "an opportunity to promote our culture and our values of openness and fair play and an occasion to come together as Canadians to support our athletes in their pursuit of excellence".

Repeating the success of Vancouver 2010 in Sochi, where the men's ice hockey team won one of 14 gold medals, is the immediate aim ©Getty ImagesRepeating the success of Vancouver 2010, where the men's ice hockey team won one of 14 gold medals, Sochi 2014 is the immediate aim ©Getty Images




These factors were explained in more detail by Gosal when he emphasised the importance with which athletes are regarded.

"Our Government, through the Sport Canada support system, invests nearly $200 million (£122 million/€146 million) a year in Canada's sport organisations and athletes," he said.

"The Sport Support Programme, the Hosting Programme and the Athlete Assistance Programme continue to provide our athletes with the resources and tools they need to compete and win on the international stage.

"Canadians are understandably proud of our country's success as a leading sport nation.

"That is why, as a Government, we are proud to support our athletes and help them achieve their podium dreams.

"Their success inspires us all, including our future Olympians and Paralympians."

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December 2013: Canada unveils mass increase in Own The Podium funding ahead of Rio 2016