Field Hockey Canada Engaged in National Sport Funding Consultation

Field Hockey Canada connects with sport community to consult regarding recent funding announcement

With the announcement of increased federal funding for sport, Field Hockey Canada is working to strengthen accountability, support athletes, and contribute to national conversations about the future of sport in Canada.

Last week, Field Hockey Canada CEO Susan Ahrens met with representatives from Sport Canada, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and the other National Sport Organizations in Montreal as part of the COC Session. These meetings brought sport leaders from across the country together to discuss issues including federal funding, sport participation, meaningful athlete engagement and revenue diversification.

Field Hockey Canada’s participation ensured that field hockey was represented in conversations that will help shape the future of sport in Canada and reflects our commitment to contributing constructively to important national discussions on sport.

These conversations are closely connected to Field Hockey Canada’s ongoing efforts to strengthen governance, athlete support and responsible funding stewardship. As financial pressures continue to grow for amateur athletes across the country, NSOs are focused on building a stronger, more sustainable foundation for sport. At the caucus meetings, sport leaders explored how a system aligned both vertically (from community and club through PSOs to FHC) and horizontally (across NSOs and the National system) might create operational efficiencies and support stronger systems and better outcomes.

Central to all discussions is how to create a better experience for athletes, teams and communities. This will be supported by the influx of new funding recently announced by the Government of Canada, which will direct more funding into the system while also increasing the funding that goes directly to athletes.

As these national discussions continue, CEO Susan Ahrens notes that the additional funding will need to be accompanied by strong accountability and stewardship.

“Our organization, like all NSO’s, feels an acute sense of responsibility. Funding will come with the expectation that NSO’s are leading governance and system change, and creating better, safer, more sustainable models for sport. With funding comes responsibility and, as the guardians of the future of the sport, Field Hockey Canada’s performance from boardroom to playing fields, to communities and schools across the country, is more important than ever. We are acutely aware that the seeds planted today become the forests of the future and take this responsibility to grow the sport from coast to coast seriously, while also driving a performance model to take Canada to the top 10 in the worlds. We have the team to achieve this and are well positioned to continue to build our own version of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s ‘Build Canada Strong’ by building our organization Canada Strong.”

Field Hockey Canada looks forward to continuing these important conversations with Sport Canada, our peers and members, and the broader community, and contributing to funding decisions that strengthen national standards and support the long-term needs of the sport. By actively engaging in national-level discussions, Field Hockey Canada is working to support our athletes, serve members responsibly, and help shape a healthy future for field hockey in Canada.

Feature photo provided by the COC