Province empowering girls to realize benefits of physical activity
TORONTO —The Ontario government is investing up to $380,000 in Canadian Women & Sport’s The Next Play program to create more opportunities for girls to be active. This funding is a part of the $2 million that is being provided through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport to up to 200 community organizations across the province to facilitate accessible, affordable and inclusive sport and recreation programming.
“Our government is proud to support the continued efforts of Canadian Women & Sport to create more opportunities for girls to realize the benefits of participating in active recreation,” said Neil Lumsden, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport. “This funding will expand the important impact that The Next Play program is having in communities across the province, removing barriers and improving the physical and mental well-being of even more Ontarians.”
“The Next Play is arming community-based sport and recreation organizations across Ontario with the tools and resources they need to design sport that truly works for diverse girls. So many organizations and communities are ready to do this work and we are thrilled to support them,” says Allison Sandmeyer-Graves, CEO at Canadian Women & Sport. “On International Women’s Day, we’re thrilled to announce this investment from the Ontario government which will provide new opportunities to create lasting change and inspire inclusion in our communities.”
Canadian Women & Sport’s The Next Play program equips participating organizations with specialized training to counter gender bias in program design and also provides start-up grants to support community initiatives to recruit and retain girls in sport. In 2023, 180 sport leaders from 90 organizations participated in The Next Play and engaged more than 3,000 girls across Ontario in community-based programming.
“Sports bring communities together, promotes inclusion and helps young people build friendships and self-confidence that will last a lifetime. This investment in The Next Play program will help break down barriers so that more young women and girls in Ontario can enjoy the exciting benefits that sports have to offer—empowering them to pursue their dreams and helping build a stronger Ontario.” – Charmaine Williams, Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity