(February 16, 2004)
The winter national sport organizations (NSOs), met with the Olympic and Paralympic sport funding partners (Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), Vancouver 2010, Calgary Olympic Development Association (CODA), Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) and 2010 LegaciesNow) in Calgary February 2 and 3, 2004 to assess the potential success of Canadian athletes at both the 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, and, to plan for the support and funding required to realize that success.
The NSOs and Olympic sport funding partners have agreed that Canada has the potential to be the number one winter sport nation at the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Vancouver. This group has set out clearly defined goals and has committed to a set of guiding principles to achieve this vision. To be successful, a sustainable sport framework must be developed and funded. This will take shared leadership, and collaboration and evaluation by the NSOs and Olympic sport funding partners.
For Canada to be the number one winter Olympic sport nation in the world in 2010, Canada must capture in the range of 35 Olympic medals. This is double the performance of the 2002 Olympic success of 17 medals and nearly triple that of the 2002 Paralympics. The NSOs are committed to this goal, provided adequate and sustainable support is immediately received. An estimated $35 million per year in funding is required for national winter Olympic sport. With the multi-billion-dollar commitment already made for the 2010 Olympic Games infrastructure and operation, it is imperative that this national sport funding, equivalent to $1 per Canadian per year until 2010, is found.
The NSOs and Olympic sport funding partners have committed to the following guiding principles for achieving its vision of being the number one winter Olympic sport nation by 2010:
- Canada will be the top winter sport nation by 2010 as a result of building a sustainable sport system.
- Commitment to maximizing the potential for Canadian athletes to win medals.
- Performance centered decision making in all things relating to athletes, coaches, officials and business acumen.
- The winter NSOs are the leaders in developing their respective sports in Canada and are accountable for their respective sport results.
- There must be cooperation and open dealings amongst the NSOs and Olympic sport funding partners in order to collectively advance winter sport in Canada.
- In collaboration with the Olympic funding partners, the winter NSOs will mutually establish and monitor an agreed upon set of benchmarks and measures of future success and the winter NSOs will be held accountable for these measures.
- The funding partners will commit, within their own funding criteria, to funding the winter NSOs to support these measures of success.
- Commitment to 2006 preparation seminars for athletes and NSO professionals to be held in the summer of 2004 and 2005.
- Hiring of an independent professional consultant to further develop the "Own the Podium" plan;
- Commitment by the winter NSOs to meet on a regular basis to collaborate and share information.
The NSOs and Olympic sport funding partners also reviewed the need to establish a home country advantage for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games including, sport specific needs for the venues at the games, training venue needs leading up to 2010, and the needs of athletes in their preparation for the Games. With these in place, our peak level elite athletes will have the ability to achieve personal excellence on the Olympic stage at a greater rate than is now occurring.
The NSOs and Olympic sport funding partners reviewed the funding needs for each national sport program and the need to acquire future sources of funding, from both current and new funding partners.
The NSOs and Olympic funding partners believe that this signals the beginning of a new system for administering sport in Canada, that will maximize the capabilities of each partner.
This meeting has established a framework for an "Own the Podium" plan that will be prepared over the next few months with the assistance of the Canadian Olympic Committee.
Canadian Winter Sport Organizations
Ken Read, Alpine Skiing
Joanne Thomson, Biathlon
Wayne Page, Shane Pearsall, Bobsleigh/Skeleton
Tony Daffern, Bruce Jeffries, Cross Country Ski
Dave Parkes, Curling
Pam Coburn, Gayle McClelland, Figure Skating
Pat Smith, Freestyle
Bob Nicholson, Wayne Russell, Hockey Canada
Ron Read, Dan Moro, Jumping
Jack MacDonald, Tim Farstad, Luge
John Heilig, Nordic Combined
Tom McIlfaterick, Snowboard
Jean Dupre, Speed Skating
Olympic Funding Partners
Chris Rudge, Mark Lowry, COC
Rob Needham, Patrick Jarvis, CPC
John Mills, Al Murray, CODA
John Furlong, Tim Gayda, The Vancouver 2010 Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games
Marion Lay, Martin Bielz, 2010 LegaciesNow