The province is putting up as much as 200-million dollars for new sports facilities across Ontario.
The government announced the funding, to be spread over three years, in its 2024 budget for new and revitalized local sport and recreation facilities.
Funding will be delivered through two streams: repairing and upgrading existing sport and recreation buildings into more accessible, state-of-the-art facilities that better suit the community’s needs; and building new and transformative sport and recreation facilities, including replacing existing facilities that have reached the end of their lifespan and are beyond repair.
“We want to ensure that new and upgraded facilities remain the heart of communities across this province for decades to come,” said Neil Lumsden, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport. “Not only will families benefit from better access to places to play, modern sport and recreation facilities will allow communities to host provincial, national and international events and competitions, attracting more visitors and good-paying jobs.”
The sport and recreation sector contributed an estimated $2.6 billion to Ontario’s economy in 2021 and accounted for approximately 38,000 jobs.
Applications will be open to municipalities, Indigenous communities, and non-profit organizations. More information about eligibility and application guidelines will be released this summer.
