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More than 100 organizations in Ontario are receiving funding, with the goal being to provide fun, safe and supervised activities for children and youth through inclusive team sports and active recreation programs.
The provincial government is investing $15.3 million to help more than 13,000 children and youth, from kindergarten to Grade 12, in more than 80 communities across the province to enjoy supervised sport and recreation activities.
“Our government is proud to support opportunities for children and youth throughout Ontario to lead active and healthy lifestyles,” says Neil Lumsden, Minister of Sport, while in Hamilton. “This funding will expand access to vital resources and enable partner organizations to continue delivering high-quality, tailored active recreation programming that aligns with the needs of local communities.”
This year, the government is providing:
- $14.6 million through Ontario’s After School Program (ASP) to help children and youth in more than 80 communities be active and healthy
- $550,000 to Special Olympics Ontario to expand the Unified Sport Program to more schools across the province. This program strengthens student engagement and well-being through inclusive team sport activities for students with and without intellectual disabilities
- $100,000 to Jays Care to help more girls benefit from sports programming, while training educators and coaches on how to promote inclusion in sport
- $59,000 to Canadian Women & Sport to research the underrepresentation of girls, young women and marginalized youth in sport/physical activity and share findings with school boards. The funding will also be used to help boards identify and address gender equity challenges in their schools.
Families interested in Ontario’s After School Program can contact a participating organization for more information about eligibility requirements and services offered by their program.
“Promoting physical and mental well-being inside and outside the classroom is key to helping students stay healthy and focused on getting back to basics, including reading, writing, math and STEM,” says Jill Dunlop, Minister of Education. “In addition to modernizing Ontario’s curriculum, removing cellphone distractions and banning vaping, today’s announcement supports our efforts to help all students succeed.”
As part of this funding, the Ministry of Education is providing $709,000 in funding to several organizations to support initiatives that help promote equity in sport and activity. Organizations include Special Olympics Ontario, Jays Care and Canadian Women and Sport.
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