US’ Tina George keeps the pressure on Canada’s Tonya Verbeek in the women’s 121-pound freestyle wrestling finale of the 2003 Pan American Games.

By Gracie Griffon for theWedge.LIVE

Province Helping Support Canadian Athletes and Boost Local Economies

Ontario is attracting more national and international sport events to the province. This smart move will allow the province to showcase its exceptional athletic talent.

The really good news is these events will increase economic activity and boost tourism.

Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, was joined by Jeremy Roberts, MPP for Ottawa West—Nepean, and by local sport funding recipients earlier today to announce an investment of more than $1.4 million to support organizations and communities that will host 11 sport events across the province.

“Our province is open for business, open for jobs, and open for athletes,” said Minister MacLeod.

“These events will draw thousands of tourists and spectators, while contributing more than $15 million in economic activity across the province including more than $10 million in our nation’s capital.”

Some of the sport events coming to Ottawa and across the province include:

• 2020 Pan American Wrestling Championships & Olympic Qualification Tournament, March 6-15, 2020 (Ottawa)
• 2020 Canadian Ringette Championships, May 5-11, 2020 (Ottawa)
• 2020 and 2021 FINA Diving Grand Prix – Canada Cup, May 14-17, 2020 (Windsor)
• 2020 Canada Basketball 15U and 17U Boys National Championships, August 2-8, 2020 (Kingston)
• 2020 Volleyball Canada Beach Nationals Championship, August 13-16, 2020 (Toronto)

INCREASE IN SPORT EVENT FUNDING

The government has also made changes to the Sport Hosting Program to give communities and sport organizers up to four times as many opportunities to access funding to host sport events by creating new application streams and expanding the number of eligible sports events. Eligible events will now include amateur combative sports and emerging sports.

The next application period for the Sport Hosting Program runs until February 10, 2020. All eligible applicants are encouraged to apply.

QUICK FACTS

• The 11 funded events are expected to feature more than 3,000 athletes from over 50 countries.
• Events supported through the Sport Hosting Program have generated approximately $122 million in economic activity since the program began in 2013.
• The Sport Hosting Program provides funding to support a variety of winter and summer national and international amateur sport events hosted in Ontario