4. OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
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4.4.1.1 Funding to Sport Organizations
Sport Canada administers five funding programs for sport organizations:
- NSO Support;
- New Funding for Sport;
- Domestic Sport;
- MSO Support; and
- National Sport Centres.
The Domestic Sport Program, aimed at sports that exist predominantly or exclusively in Canada, began only in 1999. New Funding for Sport is essentially supplementary funding for the NSO Support Program. We therefore reviewed only the programs for national sport organizations, multi-sport / multi-service organizations, and national sport centres.
Funds for NSOs and sport organizations for athletes with disabilities are provided under five-year funding and accountability frameworks that set out eligibility requirements, calculate the funding ranges, and link funding to federal sport and social policy objectives. The Sport Funding and Accountability Framework (SFAF) for NSOs was introduced in 1995-96, and the Funding and Accountability Framework for Athletes with Disabilities (FAFAD) was implemented in 1998-99. The main elements of these accountability frameworks apply to funding given to multi-sport organizations and to national sport centres.
The SFAF emphasizes high performance results. In determining an NSO’s eligibility for funding, the organization’s high performance system, including standings at the Olympic Games and World Championships, accounts for 60 percent of the points accorded; sport development aspects such as membership and coaching development programs account for 30 percent; and management of the organization accounts for 10 percent. The organization’s official languages program is included in management and is worth up to 3 percent of all points awarded. In deciding funding levels, these broad categories are maintained: high performance results are weighted at 60 percent of the organization’s contribution budget, sport development at 30 percent, and management at 10 percent.
The contribution agreements which NSOs sign under the SFAF contain an official languages clause: “The Recipient agrees . . . to take into account official languages considerations when providing services to the public or members.” This clause is related to policy goals and to a series of minimum expectations which spell out in detail which services the organization must offer in both languages and when. Funding for multi-sport / multi-service organizations (MSOs) is tied to contribution agreements with a general official languages clause, and the minimum expectations for MSOs are the same as those outlined in the SFAF for NSOs. The minimum expectations for 1996-97 include making the following materials and processes available in both official languages:
- constitution and by-laws;
- rules and regulations;
- athlete agreements;
- athlete carding criteria;
- athlete selection criteria; and
- appeals and hearings.
In addition, the NSO was required to develop a work plan to provide additional materials and processes in both official languages and collect statistics on the language preference of national team athletes, coaches and officials.
