In this session we heard from Kevin Bowie from viaSport who presented some information on the cost of High-Performance Sport. The discussion moved to possible recommendations from the Future of Sport Commission and a sharing of CSI Pacific’s role in supporting PSO’s within the BC Sport System.
The meeting focused on discussions from various groups about challenges and opportunities in high-performance sports including
- Addressing the increasing cost burden on families of high-performance athletes, highlighting issues with travel, accommodation, and equipment shipping.
- Exploring the emergence of private entities in sports, discussing the growing demand for access to facilities and safety concerns.
- Examining college and university sport challenges, including funding issues and athlete pathway complexities as some sports have a relationship with Collegiate sports and others don’t.
- Discussing static funding levels and administrative inefficiencies, and how to be more effective when evaluating sport
- Recognizing that if funds are not available for developmental programs from the NSO then the PSO may have to step up and subsidize the programming and where do those funds come from
- Focusing on alignment issues across different levels of sport, emphasizing the need for better coordination and local club support and possible integration
- Addressing financial barriers for athletes and the correlation between financial means and professional progression in sports.
The session ended with discussions on potential solutions, including corporate partnerships, improved data management, and enhanced collaboration between provinces and local organizations.