Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport
Twenty-three B.C. communities will gain valuable experience staging provincial, regional, national and international sport championships over the next year, thanks to grants from the provincial government.
“Sports competitions provide great benefits for B.C. residents,” said Lisa Beare, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture. “They promote athlete development, bring people together and help organizations gain expertise in hosting large events, which boost local economies. By investing in sport events, we are investing in the future of our communities.”
This announcement reflects the latest instalment in the Province’s Hosting BC grants. The $175,650 will provide organizations with support for hosting sports competitions. The grants will go to 39 events throughout B.C., including:
- the 2018 North American Cup Bobsleigh Skeleton Championships in Whistler;
- the 2019 Wheelchair Curling Championships in Langley; and
- the 2019 BC Long Track Speedskating Championship in Fort St. John.
The B.C. government provides $500,000 in Hosting BC grants each year as part of its annual $50-million funding commitment for amateur sport in the province. Hosting BC grants are administered by viaSport, a non-profit society that provides funding and support to more than 70 provincial sports organizations.
“This program ensures that every area of our province has opportunities to host and benefit from championship sport events,” said Sheila Bouman, CEO of viaSport. “We’re delighted by the number of applications we have been receiving from adaptive sports organizations and communities outside the Lower Mainland. The Hosting BC grants provide communities throughout the province with opportunities to inspire more British Columbians of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to participate in sport experiences that are safe, inclusive and meaningful.”
The Hosting BC program was established to promote sport, economic and community development and to maintain B.C.’s reputation as an exceptional sport event destination. Three times a year, applicants can apply for grants to help host international, national, western Canadian, provincial and regional sport events in their communities. The current intake period closes Oct. 4, 2018.
Since 2004, the Hosting BC program has provided $6.4 million, supporting more than 1,000 sporting events.
Quick Facts:
- viaSport British Columbia is a not-for-profit organization, created in 2011, with the support of the provincial government.
- It was created to build a stronger, more effective system that brings more families to the field of play, more fans into the stands, more athletes to the podium and more sport events to the province.
- viaSport’s mandate is to increase awareness, opportunity and participation in sport throughout the province, at every stage of life and in every community.
- Grants range from $1,000 to $35,000.
- Applications for funding are reviewed by the Hosting BC review committee, which is comprised of leaders in the sport and tourism sectors.
- In the spring of 2018, viaSport awarded $190,000 in Hosting BC grants to help sports organizations stage 41 competitions in B.C., including the 2018 Canada Cup International Field Hockey Tournament in Surrey.
- The Hosting BC grants open for applications every four months.
Learn More:
viaSport British Columbia: https://www.viasport.ca/
Complete list of grant recipients: https://www.viasport.ca/grant/hosting-bc
For information on the Hosting BC grant process and application: https://www.viasport.ca/grant/hosting-bc
B.C.’s new hosting toolkit:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/sports-culture/events-hosting/hosting-toolkit
A backgrounder follows.
