Ottawa, ON (August 28, 2025) – Sixteen local and provincial organizations across the country received Boccia Canada Take the Shot grants to develop and grow community boccia events and programming. This was the first round of grants funded by the Community Sport for All Initiative (CSAI) component of the Sport Canada Sport Support Program. They support Try-It events, Try-It school events and local boccia club development.
The following recipients were awarded Take the Shot grants in 2024-25:
- Alberta Cerebral Palsy Sports Association (ACPSA)
- Association Québécoise des sports pour paralytiques cérébraux
- Association régionale de loisirs pour personnes handicapées des Laurentides
- Boccia Busters
- Boccia Nova Scotia
- Club de sport en fauteuil roulant de Gatineau
- Cruisers Sports
- Easter Seals Newfoundland and Labrador
- Exploit’s Valley YMCA
- OneAbility Foundation
- Ongwanada
- Ontario Cerebral Palsy Sports Association
- Parasport New Brunswick
- Quinte Leatherbacks Boccia Club
- SportAbility British Columbia
- Victoria Screamers
The Quinte Leatherbacks Boccia Club and the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board (ALCDSB) partnered to put on inter-school boccia tournaments and implement boccia courts in all of the board’s school gymnasiums. ALCDSB has been able to offer boccia training to all elementary schools in the eastern region of the Board and host two intraschool Boccia tournaments at St. Genevieve in Kingston.
This funding ensured that all Grades 6, 7, and 8 students and teachers had the opportunity to learn and engage in sport made for everyone. It has also created opportunities for students who may face barriers to participating in traditional sports to be part of an inclusive team and represent their school in a board-level tournament.
“We cannot thank Boccia Canada enough for their generous support of the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board’s ongoing commitment to inclusion and the expansion of accessible sport in our elementary schools.” comments Kristen Whalen, a member of ALCDSB’s Accessibility Committee.
The Quinte Leatherbacks Boccia Club was also able to purchase enough equipment to run four boccia Try-It sessions, including one with over 100 participants as part of the ParticipACTION challenge.
“Special thanks to Boccia Canada for the grant funding which has enabled the Quinte Leatherbacks Boccia Club to purchase quality equipment for the upcoming Boccia seasons at the Quinte Sports & Wellness Centre,” says Colleen DeMille of Quinte Leatherbacks.
The club also put on their BIG BOCCIA BLOWOUT! This event welcomed forty-five athletes in a fun and friendly competition that also saw three members of Team Ontario participate. It included family members as well junior and senior divisions.
Jennifer Larson, Interim Executive Director of Boccia Canada, is excited about the opportunities this funding will provide for the boccia community: “Thanks to the Community Sport for All grant, we were able to significantly increase the Take the Shot Program for the next two years. It’s going to be a huge game changer. Now we can provide so many more people with disabilities in more communities across Canada with the change to try this sport.”
“Thank you to Boccia Canada and all the community organizations working tirelessly to deliver programs that support active, healthy lifestyles while fostering confidence, resilience and stronger social connections for Canadians,” said the Honourable Adam van Koeverden, Secretary of State (Sport). “Through the Community Sport for All Initiative, the Government of Canada is proud to support such projects that are inclusive, welcoming, and accessible.”
Boccia Canada is proud to support local and community initiatives. Round 2 of the Take the Shot program is now open for applications.
About Boccia Canada
Boccia Canada is the boccia delivery arm of the Canadian Cerebral Palsy Sports Association (CCPSA), the National Sport Organization for the Paralympic sport of boccia. Boccia Canada is focused on providing athletes and individuals of all ages and skill with the chance to play a unique Paralympic sport. CCPSA leads, develops and grows boccia from grassroots to producing World Champions, and we collaborate with partners to increase participation of Canadians with physical disabilities in sport.
About boccia
Boccia is a Paralympic sport of precision and strategy similar to lawn bowling or curling, played by athletes with Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, and related disabilities. It is one of only two Paralympic sports that do not have an Olympic counterpart. Athletes compete in one of six sport classes based on their level and type of disability: BC1, BC2, BC3, BC4, BC5, and Open. For more information on boccia, visit www.bocciacanada.ca.
Media Contact
Zoe Meil-Charbonneau
zmeil@ccpsa.ca