General

OTTAWA, March 24, 2017 – Badminton Canada and Canadian badminton athletes are pleased with and grateful for the investment in sport announced in the 2017 federal budget this afternoon, in particular the 18 per cent increase to the Athlete Assistance Program of $25 million over five years, ongoing.

The Athlete Assistance Program (AAP) seeks to relieve some of the financial pressures associated with preparing for and participating in international sport and assists high-performance Canadian athletes to combine their sport and academic or working careers while training intensively in pursuit of world-class performances.

The funding amount for the Athlete Assistance Program had been unchanged for the past 12 years. With this new budget, high performance sport will see an increase in the monthly stipends that eligible national team athletes receive, currently set at between $900 and $1,500.

"On behalf of the badminton athletes in Canada, we are very grateful for the support of the Government of Canada, especially through the Athlete Assistance Program and we are thrilled to hear today of the increased investment in the AAP," said Luke Couture, President of the Badminton Canada Players Association. "It is a privilege and an honour to compete for Canada on the international stage," added Couture. "National team athletes don't do it for the money. We do it because we love our sport.”

In addition, the budget detailed $19 million for aboriginal sport and $1.34 billion over the next 10 years for provincial and territorial sport, recreation and culture infrastructure development. Badminton Canada President Anil Kaul echoed the applause from the badminton community. "Our athletes and coaches are role models for all Canadians and play a key part in generating national pride and inspiring more Canadians to be physically active," said Kaul. "Minister Qualtrough and this Government took the time to ask what was important, they listened and responded, and for this we are most grateful. We believe in accessibility, inclusivity and sport for all, from playground to podium. Thank you to the Government of Canada for this important new funding and for their deep belief in the value of sport."

 

Badminton Canada

 

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