The Canadian Olympic Committee revealed a comprehensive 10-year strategic blueprint on Monday aimed at enhancing its mission to positively impact Canada through the influence of sports. Known as Team Canada 2035, this initiative involves a substantial investment exceeding $500 million over the next decade, predominantly funded by the COC’s 39 marketing collaborators and donors from the Canadian Olympic Foundation.
David Shoemaker, the CEO and secretary general of the COC, expressed confidence in the Canadian enthusiasm for sports, emphasizing its current significance. While acknowledging the existing funding challenges within the sport system, Shoemaker highlighted that the strategic plan focuses on channeling private investments to areas where athletes can experience the most significant benefits.
Team 2035 is structured around three core pillars with the aim of positioning Canada as a leading global sports nation. These pillars include “Podium,” striving to elevate Canada to a top-five nation based on combined medal counts at the Summer and Winter Olympics; “Play,” which aims to inspire and involve an additional one million young individuals in organized sports; and “Planet,” focusing on advocating for climate action to safeguard sporting environments.
The development of these goals involved extensive consultations with the Canadian sport system and will be implemented in collaboration with national sport organizations and various sport partners within the ecosystem. The COC’s overarching objective is to enhance the Canadian sport system by ensuring improved funding, coordination, and sustainability while promoting safe, inclusive, and accessible sports opportunities for all participants.
Various ongoing initiatives within the COC’s current planning align with the strategic objectives of Team Canada 2035. These include sustained funding for national sport organizations to address ongoing challenges, the introduction of innovative high-performance support programs like training camps for aspiring Olympians, and an emphasis on driving youth engagement in organized sports through initiatives like the RBC Training Ground program.
Additionally, partnerships like the Bell Starting Line program are designed to support newcomer youth participation in sports, complementing the COC’s efforts to facilitate athlete development across all levels, from grassroots to elite competition. The collaborative efforts between the COC and diverse sport entities aim to maintain Canada’s competitive edge, increase youth engagement in sports like snowboarding, and protect the natural environments crucial for winter sports activities.
