Ottawa, October 2, 2025 – The Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) today announced the evolution of its 10-year strategic plan, introducing Power of Para Sport as a bold new priority designed to ensure Canadians can experience the transformative benefits of Para sport.
Power of Para Sport addresses the reality that barriers continue to restrict participation for many of the eight million Canadians with disabilities. Beyond limiting direct access to play and competition, these barriers also prevent society from realizing the wider impact of Para sport – from shifting perceptions and advancing inclusion, to influencing policy, and driving accessible infrastructure across the country.
“We have an opportunity to meet this moment and address barriers to experiencing Para sport for good,” said Karen O’Neill, CEO, Canadian Paralympic Committee. “The power of sport to unite and create positive change is well known. Para sport offers these benefits and more, highlighting the need for equity and accessibility across Canada. When Canadians can experience the Power of Para Sport, we know that everyone will benefit.”
Two Strategic Priorities Working Together
CPC’s evolved strategy centers on two interconnected priorities that create a powerful cycle of impact:
- Best Prepared Teams continues CPC’s commitment to providing athletes and member organizations with the support needed to achieve excellence on the Paralympic stage, focusing on healthy culture, Games readiness, and system development.
- Power of Para Sport represents CPC’s expanded impact, working to ensure the momentum generated by Paralympic success translates into meaningful change across Canada. It creates opportunities for more Canadians to experience the physical, social and cultural benefits of Para sport while also driving inclusion, innovation and progress nationwide. Through five focus areas – Systems, Environment, Culture & Community, Leadership & Advocacy, and Infrastructure – Power of Para Sport delivers lasting change.
When Canadian athletes are best prepared, they succeed on the world stage, igniting belief and pride nationwide. The Power of Para Sport ensures that momentum is turned into opportunity – breaking down barriers, building inclusive systems, and growing participation.
Addressing Urgent Need for Action
This strategic evolution responds to growing recognition that bold action is needed to address barriers at every level – for individuals, across the system, and in society. Protecting and expanding opportunities is urgent, particularly as we see signs of slowing commitment to accessibility and inclusion initiatives that are vital to progress.
Power of Para Sport will create opportunities for Canadians with disabilities both on and off the field of play. Working directly and in partnership, CPC will address systemic barriers that limit engagement with Para sport, shift perceptions of disability, and advance accessibility and belonging across communities.
CPC’s work will focus on closing knowledge gaps, strengthening systems that deliver inclusive experiences, investing in infrastructure and innovation, supporting leadership development, and amplifying athlete voices to drive change beyond sport.
This impact is already demonstrated through initiatives like CPC’s research project with Red Deer Polytechnic and the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network to enhance access to adaptive equipment, the Paralympic Sport Development Fund that directly invests in increasing and improving Para sport programming, and partnerships with organizations like lululemon and Air Canada that improve accessibility in retail and travel.
Building on Paralympic Excellence
This strategic direction builds on Canada’s strong Paralympic performance, leveraging the momentum created by athletes’ achievements to drive broader social change. CPC’s vision remains “through Paralympic sport, an inclusive world.”
Paralympian Cindy Ouellet, who features in CPC’s new strategy video, emphasized the real-world impact of these barriers.
“For many of us, the path to Para sport wasn’t straightforward – there were obstacles that shouldn’t have been there,” said Ouellet. “This strategy isn’t just about creating more opportunities; it’s about ensuring no one faces those same barriers I did. When we remove those obstacles, we create real pathways for people to participate.”
CPC shared its evolved strategy at the organization’s Annual General Meeting in September and will now work with its valued members and partners, as well as the broader Paralympic community, to advance this work.
About the Canadian Paralympic Committee: Paralympic.ca
Media Contact
Nicole Watts
Senior Manager, Communications & Public Relations
Canadian Paralympic Committee
nwatts@paralympic.ca / 613-462-2700