Ottawa –
The Canadian government pledged $13.8 million in Tuesday’s budget to address the issue of safe sports that dominated headlines last year.
Federal Sports Minister Pascal Saint-Onge said the sports system was in danger.
Tearing athletes have testified before parliamentary committees in recent months about the sexual, emotional and physical abuse they experienced and how the sports system has failed to address it.
The budget pledged $13.8 million to the Heritage Division, which oversees the sports portfolio, over a three-year period from 2022 to 2023, stating, “Our commitment to strengthen accountability and build a safe and accountable sports system. to support”.
“All Canadian athletes, from novices to Olympians, should be safe from abuse, harassment and abuse,” the budget memo said.
“Ensuring that sports institutions across the country are accountable for the care of athletes is essential to building a sports system that promotes the safety and well-being of Canadian athletes.”
The 2022 budget provided the new Office of the Sports Integrity Commissioner (OSIC) with $16 million for its first three years of operations.
OSIC began receiving complaints and reports on June 20, 2022.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on March 28, 2023.
