Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities is a national charity committed to ensuring Canadian kids have equal access to sport and recreation. Operating through 289 distinct community chapters from coast to coast, Jumpstart creates opportunities for kids in financial need to participate in sport and play, empowering them to achieve their full potential.
Backed by a national network of supporters, and thanks to the support of the Canadian Tire Corporation, which covers all of Jumpstart's general and administrative expenses, Jumpstart has been able to disburse upwards of $300 million to help more than three million Canadian children get in the game since 2005.
We welcome the opportunity to meet with the members of this committee and to underscore the importance of equitable access to sport and play in Canada for the health of young Canadians. We know all members of this committee share Canadian Tire Jumpstart’s belief in the power of sport to provide better health and social outcomes for children and youth of all backgrounds and abilities.
Jumpstart harnesses the power of sport and play as a tool for social change and the advancement of children's health. It's one that can be intentionally used to achieve very specific outcomes related to improving child and youth development, the benefits of which include social and emotional well-being, academic performance and participation, reduced youth offending, and improved physical and mental health.
The role of sport in these dimensions of youth development has been well documented in scientific literature, and underscores how critical sport and physical activity are in supporting the healthy development of children.
However, significant barriers exist for marginalized youth to access these benefits. They include the increasing cost of participation, systemic racism, shortfalls in safe sport opportunities, and lack of inclusive programming, to name a few.
When the COVID-19 pandemic stripped away access to sport for Canadian youth and put the country's community sport and recreation organizations at risk, the vital importance of access to sport became clear to everyone. Canadian Tire Jumpstart's 2022 “The State of Sport in Canada” report revealed that in the first nine months of the pandemic alone, 1.5 million children living in low-income households lost over 277 million hours of sport participation, largely due to programs being closed or running at reduced capacity.
The loss of access to sport and physical activity had, and continues to have, real consequences on Canadian youth. For example, our recent research found that half of parents who said their children played fewer sports also expressed concern about their children's deteriorating mental health. Forty-six per cent of all parents said their children were feeling isolated, experiencing a sense of loss or anxiety, or lacking fitness. Half of all adolescent girls in Canada were not currently participating in sport, a disproportionate number compared to their male counterparts. Sport organizations reported that delivering programs amidst COVID-19 recovery was still daunting, with 91% concerned about their ability to provide the same level of service to their communities as prior to the pandemic, and 82% were still concerned about their ability to run programs in the future.
There has never been a more important time for the federal government to invest in sport, play and recreation. We know that implementing a sport for development approach can reap significant social and economic returns, while improving the health and well-being of children and youth of all ages and abilities.
Additionally, national leadership in sport for youth development will foster greater collaboration within government and stimulate cross-sectoral engagement in communities across the country, resulting in an enhanced impact and improved outcomes for youth across Canada.
Sport Canada's Community Sport for All initiative was a very important first step in recognizing the true value of sport. Early drafts of the federal government's new Canadian sport policy also signal a shift wherein sport is used primarily to achieve health outcomes and podium finishes become one of the many by-products.
However, to leverage the many health and social benefits of sport, we must encourage national leaders to join us and invest in the future of all children.
On behalf of the thousands of community-based sport and recreation organizations supporting millions of Canadian children across Canada, we encourage this committee to call on the federal government to further invest in equitable and safe community sport and play as a means of achieving health and well-being for our youth.
Thank you.
Thank you.