Seventy-two amateur sport leagues and teams will receive support from the Province so B.C. athletes can continue to train, practise and play. 

“These top-level athletes have dedicated their entire lives to become the best of the best, and like all British Columbians, they’ve sacrificed so much during the pandemic,” said Melanie Mark, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. “These grants will provide vital support to B.C.-based sport organizations so these athletes can continue to reach for the stars.”

The Amateur Sport League Fund will provide a total of $11 million in one-time grants to help B.C.-based and/or B.C.-owned non-profit and for-profit amateur leagues recover from the financial losses brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The grants will support amateur athletes and ensure the jobs of people who work for the leagues and teams are protected.

“We are pleased to see this investment in amateur sport and glad to partner in the distribution of these grants,” said Charlene Krepiakevich, CEO, viaSport. “In communities around the province, amateur sport leagues, teams, coaches and supporters foster the development of our B.C. athletes. This funding will help ensure that the amateur sport system pulls through the pandemic so that our athletes can play another day and sport can continue to be an integral part of the economic and social fabric of our communities.”

Recipients include amateur leagues and teams that compete at the provincial, national or international level, such as the Surrey Eagles Junior A hockey team. The funds will help them with operational costs, such as salaries, administrative costs and personal protective equipment.

"We are so grateful for all those that were involved with the process and approval of this grant,” said Blaine Neufeld, general manager, Surrey Eagles. “This grant is an absolute game changer for us. We have an amazing staff, team and community and because of this grant, we can now focus on how we will shoot for our goals here in the upcoming season.”

Quick Facts:

• The Amateur Sport League Fund will be administered by viaSport on behalf of the Province.
• The fund is directed at organizations that do not have athletes as paid employees and can demonstrate at least 30% loss in revenue since March of 2020 due to the impacts of COVID-19.
• Eligible expenses may include committed and forecasted expenses associated with:
  • day-to-day administrative costs (e.g., essential fees and dues, IT costs, office supplies);
  • salaries, wages or benefits;
  • professional fees (e.g., accounting, bookkeeping, legal);
  • rent, mortgage, storage costs or utilities;
  • insurance; and
  • equipment essential to providing sports programming.

Learn More:

A full list of recipients is available on viaSport’s website: https://www.viasport.ca/sites/default/files/ASLF%20List.pdf

For information about the application process and guidelines of the amateur sport funding, contact viaSport: https://www.viasport.ca/grant/amateur-sport-league-fund