TORONTO (February 28, 2023) – On Thursday, the Canadian Olympic Committee unveiled the Olympian-led projects that will receive this edition of the OLY Canada Legacy Grant.

Seven grants of $10,000 will be awarded to each Olympian-led not-for-profit initiative in their community. This marks the fourth edition of the OLY Canada Legacy Grant, which has already funded 25 groundbreaking Olympian-led projects across the country since its inception in 2019. 

This year, the OLY Canada Legacy Grant was designed to reflect the three pillars of Team Canada’s Impact Agenda – 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: 

1. Podium – helps to strengthen the sport system and support the athlete journey
2. Play – improves accessibility, encourage inclusivity and diversity among youth and communities at all levels of sport
3. Planet – promotes and supports environmental sustainability and the health of our planet.

Those receiving the fourth edition of the OLY Canada Legacy Grant are:

Podium:

Maxime Dufour-Lapointe, OLY — Freestyle Skiing, Sochi 2014 
(Saint-Sauveur, Que.)
Le camp 3SDL – 11e édition: Run by the Dufour-Lapointe sisters, the event’s mandate is to spread a passion for skiing in Quebec and, by providing access to high-level female coaches, to support the next generation of Canadian female skiers. 

Guylaine Dumont, OLY — Beach Volleyball, Athens 2004
(Quebec City, Que.)
The Spirit of Trust, Survivor-Led Programs: Led by survivor and peer helpers, the Spirit of Trust is a healing pathway for high-level athletes who have suffered abuse in sport. The main objective is to give hope and empower them through their recovery so they can pay it forward, remain engaged and productive, and have the power to actively and safely recover. 

Play:

Liam Gill, OLY — Snowboarding, Beijing 2022
(Banff, Alta.)
Liam and Friends: This event will welcome young participants in rural communities where many Indigenous athletes face barriers that affect access to sport – poverty, isolation, health issues, intergenerational trauma from residential schools, cultural barriers and a lack of opportunity. Youth will be provided safe opportunities to socialize and have fun while developing leadership skills. 

Brandon McBride, OLY — Athletics, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020
(Windsor, Ont.)
McBride Youth United Association’s Mentorship Program: This eight-week mentorship program aims to help underrepresented, racialized youth cultivate a growth-oriented mindset and increase representation at the podium in various fields of play.

Nickolos Farrell, OLY — Boxing, Atlanta 1996
(Hamilton, Ont.)
The Farrell Boxing Program: This grassroots program with a mission to teach self confidence and empowerment through the development of basic boxing skills. The program is located in an accessible area of the city and helps to serve many areas with at-risk youth.

Nadine Rolland, OLY — Swimming, Sydney 2000
(Granby, Que.)
Toute le Monde à l’eau! Everybody in the water!: A program focused on providing free swimming lessons to those in need and for girls in sport, leaving participants with a passion for sports to become positive influences in their respective communities. 

Planet:

Brenda Taylor, OLY — Rowing, Barcelona 1992
(Vancouver Island, B.C.)
Decarbonizing Rowing: Electric Outboard Pilot Project : The goal for this project is to educate and empower the BC rowing community to switch from gas to e-outboards. Data on fuel consumption, performance, user experience and costs will be collected on gas and e-outboards to develop the business case for e-outboards and to provide clubs with accessible information to support informed purchasing decisions.

For more information on the fourth edition OLY Canada Legacy Grant process and selected projects, visit the OLY Canada website. 

QUOTES

“At the COC, we often talk about the immense potential of sport to transform the lives of Canadians and our communities. We see this in action especially through the incredible Canadian Olympians who use their platforms to give back to their communities. We’re really proud to be able to provide support to these projects.”

– David Shoemaker, COC Chief Executive Officer and Secretary General

“Sport is a powerful platform – we see it in how Canadian Olympians inspire us to pursue what’s important and hold ourselves to a higher set of values. Sport can also generate positive change, and the Olympian-led programs receiving the OLY Canada Legacy Grant are a great example of the Team Canada Impact Agenda in action. We are excited to support the work of these projects to transform Canada through the power of sport.”

– Jacquie Ryan, Canadian Olympic Foundation CEO and COC Chief Brand and Commercial Officer

“To have the support of an organization such as the Canadian Olympic Committee is truly energizing. During my journey, I have seen countless talented individuals fail to continue in sports because they didn’t have the proper support, especially minorities. These gifted individuals left their sport because they did not see representation or felt uncomfortable in their environment. My mentorship program aims to solve both issues by providing a diverse array of mentors in various sports and fields and equipping the next generation with tools to overcome adversity in sports and life. My hope is that athletes will leave our program more motivated, focused, prepared and comfortable in their skin.

– Brandon McBride, Two-time Olympian in athletics, OLY Canada Legacy Grant Recipient (fourth edition)

About OLY Canada

OLY Canada is an alumni initiative that was launched in 2017 by the Canadian Olympic Committee. The program was created to complement the global initiative started by the World Olympians Association that gives Olympians post-nominal letters (OLY) in recognition of their years of hard work, dedication and promotion of Olympic values.

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MEDIA CONTACTS

Samantha Sokol
Specialist, Communications
C: 647-385-7107
ssokol@olympic.ca

Peter​ Saltsman
Senior Manager, Public Relations
C: 647-382-6986
E: psaltsman@olympic.ca