TORONTO (February 8, 2024) – On Thursday, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) unveiled 15 Olympian-led projects that will receive the OLY Canada Legacy Grant, now in its fifth edition.
This edition awarded a total of $100,000 across the 15 Olympian-led not-for-profit initiatives, each of which focuses on access to sport, safe sport, or sustainability in their communities. This brings the total funding that the grant has provided since its inception in 2019 to $345,000.
The OLY Canada Legacy Grant is designed to reflect the three pillars of the Team Canada Impact Agenda – the COC’s commitment to making sport safe, inclusive and barrier-free so more young people can play and stay in sport.
The selected projects fall into three categories:
- Play – improves accessibility, encourages inclusivity and diversity among youth and communities at all levels of sport.
- Podium – helps to strengthen the sport system and support the athlete journey.
- Planet – promotes and supports environmental sustainability, the health of our planet, and the preservation of our sporting environments.
The recipients of the fifth edition of the OLY Canada Legacy Grant are:
PLAY
Girls Hockey Celebration
Caroline Ouellette OLY – Ice Hockey – Salt Lake City 2002, Turin 2006, Vancouver 2010, Sochi 2014
Girls Hockey Celebration is a four-day event in Montreal that connects Olympic and national team women’s hockey players with the next generation to inspire more young girls to play hockey and help them to discover opportunities in the sport.
“On behalf of the entire team of the Women’s Hockey Celebration, I would like to thank the Canadian Olympic Committee for selecting us as the recipient of the Oly Grant.
With this support, we will be able to continue contributing to the growth of participation that women’s hockey is currently experiencing for players, coaches, and officials.
Now that all girls can dream of a professional hockey career, I am even more motivated to introduce this wonderful sport to more girls and women through the Celebration. Thank you to the entire COC team for supporting Olympians who are committed to the development of their sport!.” – Caroline Ouellette OLY
Feminaction
Cendrine Browne OLY – Cross-Country Skiing – PyeongChang 2018, Beijing 2022
Laura Leclair OLY – Cross-Country Skiing – Beijing 2022
Feminaction organizes camps, trains ambassadors, and creates mentorship programs for female coaches with the goal of retaining female cross-country skiing athletes at higher levels. The program is shaped by the values of cohesion, sharing, mutual aid, and audacity.
“We are truly happy and grateful to receive the OLY Grant which will support us for a second year in realizing our Féminaction program! Féminaction is a program aimed at changing mindsets in sports, towards equity and inclusivity. Thanks to this scholarship, we will be able to extend the benefits of our program to a greater number of athletes and coaches. Thank you, OLY!”– Cendrine Browne OLY
Liam & Friends
Liam Gill OLY – Snowboard – Beijing 2022
Liam & Friends welcomes young participants from rural communities in Alberta and the Northwest Territories where many Indigenous athletes face barriers – poverty, isolation, health issues, intergenerational trauma from residential schools, cultural barriers, and a lack of opportunity – that affect access to sport. Youth will be provided safe opportunities to socialize and have fun while developing leadership skills.
“After the incredible success of the inaugural “Liam & Friends”, which aims to share the stoke of snowboarding with indigenous youth in a safe and supportive environment while removing all financial barriers, I am excited for this year’s event and the new friends I will be inviting. My goal is to empower self-confidence through sport and connection with one’s inner self & indigenous identity. I am honoured to be awarded the OLY Canada Legacy Grant.
The funding will help to cover accommodations, meals, transportation, coaching and activities off hill for participating youth. The “Liam & Friends” event at Banff Sunshine Village is planned for Spring 2024 and will invite both youth from the Northwest Territories as well as Treaty 7 First Nation communities near Calgary. Mashi Cho for the support.” – Liam Gill OLY
Pathfinders Project
Ariane Bonhomme OLY – Track Cycling – Tokyo 2020
Pathfinders Project takes a decolonial approach to sport in order to boost the representation of Indigenous people in elite and grassroots cycling. By showcasing Indigenous talent at the elite level, Pathfinders hopes to offer the sporting community an alternative framework to nurture elite athletes in a safer environment.
“We’re so excited to receive this funding! This opens a lot of doors for the program and its participants. We want to thank the Canadian Olympic Committee for their generosity and we’re so excited to take another step towards removing barriers and creating opportunities for Indigenous athletes in the sport of Cycling.” – Ariane Bonhomme OLY
McBride Youth United Association’s Mentorship Program
Brandon McBride OLY – Athletics – Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020
McBride Youth United Association’s Mentorship Program is an eight-week mentorship program helping underrecognized, racialized youth cultivate a growth-oriented mindset and increase representation at the podium in various fields of play.
“I am deeply honored to be a recipient of the OLY Grant. The support of the OLY Grant is not just a financial boost but a vote of confidence in our mission. This grant will enable us to expand our reach and deepen our impact, continuing to empower and uplift the youth in our community through our mentorship program.” – Brandon McBride OLY
Glissez vers l’integration
Charles Hamelin OLY – Short Track Speed Sakting – Turin 2006, Vancouver 20010, Sochi 2014, PyeongChang 2018, Beijing 2022
Glissez vers l’Integration welcomes newcomers to the province of Quebec with an introductory skating course focused on community building and fun against the backdrop of the iconic Place Bell in Laval.
“I am honored to receive the generous grant from the Canadian Olympic Committee for the event ‘Slide into Integration’, where skating becomes the common thread of a sports experience rooted in our culture. Through graceful movement on the ice, we aim to welcome newcomers, foster familial bonds, and promote integration, as sport transcends borders, uniting our communities through shared passion.” – Charles Hamelin OLY
Field of Dreams
Mark Pearson OLY – Field Hockey – Beijing 2008, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020
Field of Dreams is a summer series designed to engage rural, underserved communities along the Gatineau River with the sport of field hockey. The two weekends of programming will remove barriers to sporting infrastructure and create a safe environment to learn and participate in field hockey, with the aim of inspiring a love of sport and the Olympic Movement.
“I feel very fortunate to have been awarded an OLY Legacy Grant for 2024. To have the support of the Canadian Olympic Committee is energizing and it will allow me to bring this project to life. I truly believe in the power of sport as a tool to bring Canadians and communities together and in the spirit and values of Olympism to inspire the next generation and I cannot wait to bring the Field of Dreams project to life this year. I am excited to bring to life a fully accessible and inclusive program that uses sport to bring diverse communities together and the values of Olympism as a tool to inspire” – Mark Pearson OLY
David and Mary Thomson High School Rowing Program
Phil Monckton OLY – Rowing – Montreal 1976, Los Angeles 1984
The David and Mary Thomson HS Rowing Program introduces rowing to new Canadian youth, many of whom have had no exposure to organized sport prior to this program. Participants embark on a journey that takes them through a range of activities from swimming basics to advanced rowing, all with the underlying goal of building resilience and perseverance.
“The opportunity to introduce the sport of rowing to the students at David and Mary Thomson HS has been a joy and a learning experience. The majority of the students are new Canadians, representing a variety of countries and cultures. Many of the students, particularly the females, have not had the opportunity to be exposed to sports, much less rowing. When asked to describe the highlight of the rowing program, many of them said that seeing the City of Toronto from the water was the best part. It is often the simple, beautiful things that bring delight.” – Phil Monckton OLY
Eliminating Fences for Fencers: Removing Barriers and Opening Communities to the Sport of Fencing
Kelleigh Ryan OLY – Fencing – Tokyo 2020
In collaboration with fencing clubs throughout Alberta, Eliminating Fences for Fencers will support Indigenous communities and young girls with the financial costs of introductory fencing programs to encourage physical fitness and skill development.
“Thank you so much for this amazing opportunity! I’m so excited to receive this grant and I can’t wait to get more children from different backgrounds involved in fencing. A whole new group of young minds will be exposed to new ideas, movements, struggles, and emotions!” – Kelleigh Ryan OLY
LS7 Sticks In For Charity Road Hockey Tournament
Laura Stacey OLY – Ice Hockey – PyeongChang 2018, Beijing 2022
LS7 Sticks In For Charity Road Hockey Tournament is an annual event that engages the local community in a road hockey tournament, raising funds for charities that will help underrecognized youth enroll in sports programs.
“I am so excited to receive the OLY Legacy Grant and know that it will have an incredible impact on the LS7 Sticks In For Charity Roady Hockey Tournament! Our Tournament has been growing every single year and to have this support from OLY means the World to be and my Charity!
After receiving this funding I am looking forward to growing our charity tournament and raising even more money in order to provide kids with the opportunity to get involved in sports, get outside, be active, and live a healthy active lifestyle. My sister and I were very fortunate to be able to play any sport we wanted to when we were growing up and having this funding allows us to now give back and give others who are not as fortunate that same opportunity !” – Laura Stacey OLY
PODIUM
Taking Down Barriers
Carol Huynh OLY – Wrestling – Beijing 2008, London 2012
Taking Down Barriers empowers the development of female wrestling coaches through panels, workshops and camps to promote diversity in the sport and create a safer environment for female athletes.
“I am extremely grateful to receive the 2024 OLY Canada Legacy Grant. Thank you to the committee for your belief in my Project, Taking Down Barriers. This Project aims to break barriers, empower coaches, and support female wrestling. A huge thank you go out to my friends, colleagues, and family for helping me make this happen, especially Leah Ferguson and Dan Biggs!” – Carol Huynh OLY
MOMentum
Jill Moffatt OLY – Rowing – Tokyo 2020
MOMentum supports elite Canadian female athletes with any family planning needs during their preparation and recovery from national team events through grants, education, mentorship from fellow athletes, and legal resources. The project is in collaboration with Olympians Melissa Bishop (Athletics), Mandy Bujold (Boxing), Kim Gaucher (Basketball) and Paralympian Erica Gavel (Wheelchair Basketball).
“It feels amazing to receive the OLY Legacy Grant. This grant empowers us to effect tangible change for current Olympians and Paralympians, by addressing a crucial resource gap in the realm of family planning. We’ve come together across different sports and with differing experiences regarding motherhood, so it is exciting to pool our creativity, curiosity, and passion, together to create something special” – Jill Moffatt OLY
FLIP IT!
Jessica Tudos OLY – Artistic Gymnastics – Los Angeles 1984
Jessica Tudos’ FLIP IT hosts an educational retreat for female and female-identifying leaders in the gymnastics community. The event facilitates conversations around the promotion of allyship and the adoption of actions, behaviors, and practices in support of a more ethical and safer journey in the sport.
“I am looking forward to collaborating to create a meaningful opportunity for the gymnastics community to discuss the ways in which we can FLIP the narrative about what one can not do in our sport of gymnastics, to one of what we can do in response to today’s conversation around safe sport.
As a retired Olympic gymnast for many years now, I still reflect on my years in the sport with pride and positivity. To be part of creating this for the next generations is a responsibility and a privilege – I’m excited!” – Jessica Tudos OLY
PLANET
Small Footprint, Big Jumps
Marion Thénault OLY – Freestyle Skiing – Beijing 2022
Small Footprint, Big Jumps creates guidelines for individual athletes to become carbon neutral in their sporting activities while also pushing event organizers to apply those guidelines, starting with the FIS Freestyle World Cup for aerials in Le Relais.
“The OLY Canada Heritage grant represents for me the realization of an initiative that means so much to me. The Relay World Cup is a very dear event to my heart. This scholarship will help reduce its environmental impact, allowing us to practice our sport without negatively affecting our environment and becoming an example to follow for the organization of winter competitions! This grant empowers athletes who, like me, want to protect their planet and their sport. Thank you.” – Marion Thénault OLY
The ReRun Shoe Project
Julie-Anne Staehli OLY– Athletics – Tokyo 2020
Inspired by the idea of giving running shoes another life, The ReRUN Shoe Project removes barriers to a more active lifestyle by distributing lightly used shoes that would otherwise be thrown away to underresourced youth.
“I am grateful to receive this grant on behalf of The ReRUN Shoe Project. Over the last 5 years, we have expanded ReRUN to 5 cities, with the goal of continuing our reach to local communities across Canada. Our goal of giving shoes another life to improve the lives of others aligns with the values of the OLY Legacy Grant, making sport more accessible, inclusive and sustainable.
We are looking forward to meeting our objectives for 2024, thanks to the support of the COC. Looking ahead to 2024, I am most excited to expand my reach in the community while I work towards qualifying for the Paris Olympics. Having this support allows me to lead on and off the track, making a difference in sport for future generations. I would like to thank the COC on behalf of ReRUN for this nomination, and I look forward to sharing our updates!” – Julie-Anne Staehli OLY
There were many exceptional applications submitted and while we wish we could provide grants for every project, we were only able to select 15 this edition. We encourage the OLY community to continue striving for greater impact through passion and hard work. We hope to see this initiative grow over the years!
Congratulations to all of the newest OLY Canada Legacy Grant recipients.
