Gender-based Violence in Sport

Coaches can play an important role in teaching athletes about healthy relationships in and through sport. The Coaching Association of Canada is leading a new project to build the capacity of coaches and other sport system stakeholders to help prevent and address gender-based and teen dating violence. To learn about the project and complete coach and athlete…

International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2019

In recognition of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, today’s SIRC blog features the Ability Toolkit, an evidence-informed resource that adapts the recommendations of the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for children and youth with disabilities.

Including Children and Youth with Disabilities in the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines

Engaging in regular physical activity, getting enough sleep, and limiting time spent inactive are well known and evidence-based prescriptions for the promotion of overall health and well-being(Tremblay et al., 2016). In fact, the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth (ages 5-17) — which consolidate the evidence-based daily requirements for physical activity and inactivity, as well as sleep, into a single…

Integration in Sport: To Be or Not To Be

This summer, spectators around the globe witnessed the highs and lows of athletes during competition at the Pan and Parapan American Games. The Pan American Games took place from July 26 to August 11, and the ParaPan American Games from August 23 to September 1. Like the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Pan and Parapan…

Canadian Disability Participation Project Blog

While accessible sport activities, venues, and services are necessary for people of all abilities to participate in sport, accessibility does not guarantee positive sport experiences. A positive experience is about more than access: it’s about meaningful activities that provide participants with feelings of belonging, choice, challenge and success. For this reason, researchers from the Canadian…

Is Accessibility Enough? How to Create Quality Experiences in Parasport

In 2006, the United Nations endorsed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CPRD) — a landmark convention that protects the right to participation in variety of social domains, including sport activities, venues, and services.  The CRPD has been ratified by Canada and 176 other countries around the world. Nonetheless, rates of sport…

Wheelchair Curling

Since Wheelchair Curling was included in the Paralympics as a full-medal sport, Canada is the only country to have won medals at four consecutive Paralympic events. Check out the action at the 2019 Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championships, which kicks off today in Boucherville QC.

Tips for Inclusive Programs for Persons with Disabilities

December 3, 2018 is International Day of Persons with Disabilities. This year’s theme is “Empowering People with Disabilities and Ensuring Inclusiveness and Equality”. Here in Canada, we have reason to celebrate. The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility, is shepherding Bill C-81, the Accessible Canada Act, through its parliamentary process….

Leveraging parasport events for sustainable community participation

View the summary of this research here. The aim of this project was to examine how the hosting of different forms of sport events for persons with disabilities were being leveraged to create opportunities for community participation, and influence community attitudes towards disability. Research on events demonstrates that it is necessary to intentionally and strategically…

Inclusion in the Field(s) of Dreams?

The purpose of this project was to explore issues surrounding segregated sport for people with impairments and to address the question of whether or not segregated sport perpetuates inequity (Fay & Wolff, 2009). The specific objectives included: (1) Identifying the drawback and benefits of participation in segregated athlete training programs taking place in different settings;…