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CONCLUSION
The future of sport in Canada depends on strong leadership, partnership
and accountability. Our report leaves no doubt as to the significance of
the role played by sport in this country. Sport is vital in terms of Canada's
economy, cultural identity and the general health and well-being of Canadians.
Many Canadians - employees, participants and spectators - are touched by
sport in some manner each and every day. Sport permeates both goods-producing
and services-producing sectors of the economy. In the mid-1990s, sport's
share of the total output of the Canadian economy exceeded 1% and the sport
industry employed more than 262,000 individuals. Sport's share of total
output in the Canadian economy exceeds many other industries including
wood; logging and forestry; fishing and trapping; and aircraft and aircraft
parts. In 1996, Canadians spent almost $8 billion on sport-related activities.
Sport imparts a large impact on other sectors of the economy, especially
tourism. It is estimated that sport contributes some $4 billion in tourism
expenditures.
Today, millions of Canadians participate in one or more sports. Many
individuals also participate in sport as coaches and organizers. The participation
of spectators is also significant, as evidenced by the high-attendance
levels at, and TV ratings afforded to, sporting events across the country.
Canadians' participation in sport exceeds all other activity.
Despite the upward trend in the number of physically active Canadians
over the years, there is considerable scope for improvement as it is estimated
that less than 40% of Canadians were active in 1995. And, since it is now
widely accepted that physical activity contributes to a stronger and healthier
population, increasing the level of activity among Canadians is growing
in importance. Health Canada research suggests that a 10% reduction in
the number of inactive Canadians would save the Canadian economy $5 billion.
The Committee is very cognizant of sport's role in this context and proposes
a number of recommendations designed to enhance the general level of activity
among Canadians and the vitality of sport in this country. Special focus
is afforded to youth, women, disabled and Aboriginal people. The Committee
recommends that a federal department of sport be created. It also calls
for the introduction of a non-refundable tax credit for training costs
incurred by volunteer coaches and officials and a non-refundable child
sport tax credit, an allocation of some of the recent increase in Sport
Canada funding to benefit underrepresented groups, an expansion of school
sport programs, the integration of disabled persons into sports governing
bodies and the creation and funding of an Aboriginal sports and recreation
council.
The Committee recognizes the important role played by Canada's high-performance
amateur athletes and recommends that the number of national sport organizations
eligible for funding be increased and that a minimum level of $100,000
be available to national sport organizations for olympic sport to provide
a basic level of service for athletes. Furthermore, equity considerations
call for a change in carding eligibility criteria so as to permit funding
for all eligible national team athletes. The Committee also recommends
that the federal government continue to support the Canadian Centre for
Ethics in Sport in Canada's fight to eliminate drug use in sport.
Professional sport is an important contributor to the economy and to
the lives of many Canadians. Statistics Canada estimates that in the mid-1990s,
professional sport and the presentation of live sport spectacles contributed
approximately $608 million to Canadian GDP and created 23,715 jobs. However,
the financial health of professional sport and its continued existence
in this country are threatened by higher payroll and infrastructure costs
and by the level of public support provided to professional teams south
of the border. In recognition of the growing problems facing this component
of Canada's sport industry, the Committee recommends that a five-part federal
strategy called the sport pact be established to promote the vitality and
stability of professional sport in this country. This strategy would, for
example, provide tax incentives to eligible sports franchises and encourage
more small businesses to support their local teams.
Our vision of the future of sport in Canada, shared by many Canadians,
calls for a stronger partnership between the public and private sectors
and more co-operation between governments. All levels of government play
an active role in promoting sport-related activities. As noted in this
report, municipalities represent the backbone of our sport delivery system.
It is at the community level that tomorrow's world class athletes begin
their training. To assist in the continued development of sports facilities,
the Committee recommends that the federal government, in conjunction with
provincial, territorial and municipal governments, initiate a sports facility
infrastructure program. In addition, the Committee recommends that a fixed
percentage of property sold by Canada Lands be used for recreational purposes.
Equally important, new sources of sport funding must be developed and,
in this context, the Committee recommends the creation of a new vehicle
for funding amateur sport called the millennium sport bond.
These and the many other recommendations in this report represent the
Committee's vision for strengthening sport in this country. Much work lies
ahead and the Committee invites all Canadians to work together to make
this collective vision a reality. Finally, the Committee would like to
thank all of those who generously shared their views and expertise on this
very important subject and who made this report possible.
Never give up on your dreams