Ontario Invests in Expanding Sport Opportunities for Girls
Ottawa, April 25, 2025 — The Ontario government is investing $480,000 into Canadian Women & Sport’s The Next Play initiative, aiming to create more affordable and inclusive recreation opportunities for girls across the province.
Announced Friday by the Ministry of Sport, the funding comes through Ontario’s Inclusive Grassroots Recreation (IGR) program. The goal is to break down financial and systemic barriers that prevent girls from participating in sports and staying active.
“Our government is proud to support Canadian Women & Sport and invest in community-based programs that encourage girls to participate in sport and lead healthier lives,” said Neil Lumsden, Ontario’s Minister of Sport. “We believe all kids deserve access to fun, high-quality sport and recreation programs. At a time when families across Ontario are facing the threat of higher costs because of tariffs, this support will help remove financial barriers so more girls can participate in programs in their community.”
Canadian Women & Sport, a national organization dedicated to creating an equitable sport system, says the investment will help broaden the reach of The Next Play program. Since its launch in 2022-23, The Next Play has trained 288 sport leaders across 140 organizations and engaged over 6,100 youth in community-based programming.
“With this new investment, we will be able to reach an additional 65 organizations and 195 leaders,” said Allison Sandmeyer-Graves, CEO of Canadian Women & Sport. “Together with the Government of Ontario, we are creating sport and active recreation environments that welcome more girls and women and help ensure they can access the benefits of sport.”
The program offers specialized training for community organizations to counter gender bias when designing their sports programs and provides start-up grants for grassroots initiatives that work to recruit and retain girls in sport.
The impact of programs like The Next Play can already be seen in communities across the province. Erin Thompson, Director of Business Operations for the PWHL’s Ottawa Charge, praised the momentum in women’s sport since the formation of their league.
“At the Ottawa Charge, we see firsthand the growing number of young girls and women who now have something to aspire to,” said Thompson. “By being accessible through games, broadcasts, and community events, we help build new dreams for young hockey players that didn’t exist just two years ago. We appreciate the Ontario government’s efforts in supporting the growth of women and girls in sport. Now that they can see it, they can be it — whether you are a player, a coach or a leader.”
Grassroots organizations have also felt the effects. Osmond Bakker, founder of Bakkers Trailblazers, explained how funding from The Next Play helped introduce mountain biking to new participants.
“We observed a great number of women who wished to bring their daughters along next time, and quite a few younger girls who wanted to learn mountain biking to join their families in future rides,” said Bakker. “We successfully created a supportive environment and gave them the confidence to continue exploring the sport.”
Janet Lawless, of 6Tigers Academy Inc., echoed these sentiments, particularly noting how the program has expanded opportunities for women and girls in coaching.
“Thanks to the funding from The Next Play, women and girls have been actively engaged in discussions about what supports they need to move into more serious coaching roles,” said Lawless. “You can see the sense of accomplishment and pride as they help other young athletes increase their confidence and sense of belonging in our sport. Great things are coming.”
Ontario’s Inclusive Grassroots Recreation program has provided opportunities for over 65,000 children and youth from under-represented and marginalized populations since its inception in 2021-22. The province invests more than $23 million annually into inclusive physical activity programs, including Ontario’s After School Program, the Community Aboriginal Recreation Activator Program (CARA), the Sport Pathway for Ontario Native Wellness, and initiatives at Variety Village.
With the new investment, Ontario hopes to see even more girls across the province take part in sport, leading to healthier communities and stronger futures.
