National Summit on Sport
Workshop Discussion Paper

To increase the participation in sport by all Canadians and permit those participants to achieve their desired level of excellence, the consultations revealed the need to build capacity in the individuals, communities and organizations that make up the Canadian sport system. The feedback on building capacity has been organized under the following broad themes:

Human resources development
We must develop the capacities of our human resources (athletes, coaches, officials, administrators and volunteers) and provide a national framework for their involvement. Programs, from initial entry to high-performance, must be participant-focussed and, wherever necessary, encourage increased participation of under-represented and marginalized groups. Coaching development must support the important role of coaches to train athletes, provide counsel and instill qualities of determination, commitment, teamwork, fairness, responsibility and empathy. Training and development programs must be available for instructors, sport leaders and officials to ensure their full and effective participation in the sport system. Opportunities must also be provided for training and development in organizational skills for Board members, executives, and professional staff involved with sport organizations and institutions.

Organizational development
Sport in Canada would be impossible without the efforts of the many organizations and institutions, from local clubs to National Sport Organizations, established to promote, regulate and administer sport and sporting events. Initiatives and programs must be designed to develop the organizational skills and abilities necessary for the effective discharge of responsibilities. Activities and operations must be transparent, with clearly defined accountability structures and oversight, and open to public scrutiny. Programs, policies, and decision-making must be based on the needs of athletes and participants. Athletes and participants must be involved in decision-making which affects them.

Values and ethics
Sport and physical activity must be characterized by a safe, fair and ethical environment through coordinated action both by government and non-government institutions. A common ethical basis for sport must be articulated, including principles, standards and a framework for ethical behaviour. These standards and principles must deal with fair play, doping, harassment and abuse, violence, health and safety, and procedural fairness. Clear roles and mandates must be established for individuals, institutions and governments. Professional sport organizations must be encouraged to promote ethical behaviour and values.


Alternate Dispute Resolution
Sport organizations and institutions in Canada, and their members, must have access to a fair, effective and efficient process for resolving disputes outside the court and litigation system. The process must ensure independence and accessibility. Efforts must be made to reduce the incidence of disputes and therefore the demand for resolution services.

Hosting sport events
Support for event hosting must be based on a long-term strategic plan and designed to maximize benefits. Events must have demonstrable community support, enhance development opportunities for athletes, be free from barriers to participation, promote increased participation by youth, and promote sport heroes and role models. Events must provide sport programming legacies that lead to continued and lasting sport programming, facilities and human resources expertise.

Research and knowledge base
The knowledge base and research capacity in the sport sector must be systematically improved to support policy and program development and operational decision-making, and advance sport science and technology innovation.

Sport Infrastructure
All elements of the sport system in Canada must share responsibility to develop and maintain the physical infrastructure required to support the policy objectives of participation and excellence. Opportunities must be exploited to develop new infrastructure, particularly as legacies from hosting national and international sport events. Infrastructure must be accessible to the broadest possible range of sport activity at all levels. Inventories must be developed and maintained to support needs assessment and guide investment decisions.


Workshop Task


1. Identify the priority action steps that should be taken to build capacity in the individuals, communities and organizations that make up the Canadian sport system.

1. From this list of action steps, what are the five most important?

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