Summary

• Since 2020, the Pathways to Sport strategic framework has provided a clear and steady foundation for government’s investment in amateur sport
• Significant advancements in sports participation have been made under the framework, with nearly 20% more people getting involved in sport since 2020
• Communities, athletes and volunteers have shown resilience as the sector recovered from the effects of COVID-19, supported by provincial investments that have strengthened safe sport, inclusion, Indigenous participation, high‑performance pathways and sport event hosting

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British Columbia’s amateur-sport system has seen significant improvements in sport participation, athlete development and event hosting under Pathways to Sport: A Strategic Framework for Sport in British Columbia 2020-2025 (Pathways). 

“We know the positive difference that sport makes in peoples’ lives,” said Anne Kang, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. “Guided by the Pathways to Sport framework, we have advanced diversity, equity and inclusion in sport, boosted athlete development, and drawn in thousands of visitors to communities throughout B.C. for major sporting events. Through this work, we are creating a strong, sustainable future for everyone who plays sports, and we are committed to continuing our work to strengthen the sport sector.”

Pathways was launched in March 2020, guided by three priority areas: sport participation, athlete development and event hosting. Six years later, the sport sector is showing strength and resilience, despite the hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and other economic challenges. 

Major gains in sport participation

There has been nearly 20% growth in sport participation throughout B.C. since 2020. Membership in designated sport organizations grew from nearly 600,000 to 718,000 members from 2020 until 2025. These gains are supported by provincial investments, such as:

• helping families facing financial barriers access sport through $400,000 annually for KidSport BC
• reaching more than 37,000 Indigenous youth from 2020-25 through $1.4 million annually for the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council
• providing free sport and arts programming for under-represented youth in 22 school districts in B.C. through $1.4 million annually for the After School Sport and Arts Initiative
• supporting sport sector not-for-profit organizations with $30 million annually through the Community Gaming Grants program
• supporting 2,949 individual grants and 39 organizational grants to help youth in and from government care to connect to sport through $3.6 million committed over five years for RISE grants

The Province is committed to reducing barriers, so everyone has the chance to participate and enjoy the benefits of sport. As part of this work, the Province has invested more than $8 million in making sport safer with the launch of viaSport’s PlaySafe BC program and the establishment of Sport Safeguarding BC (SSBC). PlaySafe BC and SSBC are part of ongoing work to build a better sport culture and improve accountability so that sport is safe and inclusive for everyone.

Major event hosting boosts economy

The province’s world-class sport infrastructure, diverse regions and experience in hosting major events makes B.C. a competitive destination for sport event hosting. Investments made in response to the effects of COVID-19 on sport, tourism and cultural events provided approximately $9.9 million in one-time grants to sport organizations throughout the province to support events.

B.C.’s Look West: Tourism Sector Action Plan looks to capitalize on the global exposure and investment opportunities of major events, such as the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, to continue to attract international visitors, strengthen the economy and raise the province’s profile on the global stage.

Sport event hosting remains strong in British Columbia and the province continues to attract national and international sports, such as the Montana’s Brier, the Invictus Games and the Grey Cup.

“With sustained investment in major event hosting, we can increase visibility and engagement, accelerating the growth of sport across British Columbia while showcasing the strength, passion and potential of our soccer ecosystem,” said Gabriel Assis, CEO, BC Soccer. “Hosting world-class events like the FIFA World Cup in British Columbia represents more than a single moment, it’s an opportunity to ignite communities, inspire athletes at every level and elevate our province on the global stage.”  

Strengthening athlete development

Sport event hosting also contributes to athlete development through events such as the BC Games and 55+ BC Games. From 2020-25, 6,499 athletes and 1,560 coaches participated in four BC Games, hosted in communities throughout the province. The games are important to the development of B.C.’s young athletes and have resulted in more than $892,000 in legacy funding to the host communities, as well as an estimated economic impact of $1.6 million to $2 million per game. 

The Province’s commitment to athlete development has helped produce some of the world’s best athletes. Provincial investments for athlete development and access to competitions, coaches and training facilities have been made over the past five years, including:

• providing $8 million to the Canadian Sport Institute (CSI) Pacific
• providing $51 million for Designated Sport Organization Funding through viaSport
• providing $7.5 million for Enhanced Excellence funding
• providing $1.6 million for B.C. Athlete Assistance program

The investments have supported the hard work and dedication of athletes and coaches, resulting in B.C.-connected athletes capturing more than half of all Canadian podium results at the Tokyo, Beijing, Paris and Milano-Cortina Olympics, and Paralympics.

The work that has taken place under Pathways has laid a foundation for the future of sport in British Columbia, and the Province will continue to make investment in safe sport to help build a more transparent and welcoming sport culture.  

Quotes:

Andrew Price, CEO, viaSport –

“ViaSport is proud of its role in contributing to B.C.’s 2020-2025 strategic framework for sport, helping to ensure that sport continues to be a catalyst for positive health, social and community benefit. ViaSport will continue working with our designated sport organizations to help ensure everyone in British Columbia can experience a sport system that is accessible, safe and enjoyable."

Sandra Haziza, executive director, BC Adaptive Snowsports –

“At BC Adaptive Snowsports, we are proud to support inclusive pathways to sport for individuals of all abilities across British Columbia. Through our network of 15 clubs serving more than 3,000 members provincewide, we are helping remove barriers to participation and creating opportunities for more people to experience the physical, social and mental-health benefits of sport.”

Quick Facts:

• More than 718,000 people in British Columbia play organized sports and are members of one of more than 70 provincial sports organizations, multi-sport organizations or disability sport organizations.
• Women’s sport participation rose in many sports between 2020-25, as demonstrated by a 59% increase in hockey participation.
• From 2020-25, CSI Pacific has supported 13,327 provincial- and national-level athletes in achieving standout podium results.
• Hosting BC event funding from 2020-25 has provided $2.5 million to 605 total events, including 248 provincial championships in 76 communities throughout the province.

Learn More:

• Read the Pathways to Sport Final Report here: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/sports-recreation-arts-and-culture/sports/pathways_to_sport_final_report.pdf
• Learn more about sport funding and how the Province supports sport and multi-sport organizations here: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/sports-culture/sports/sport-funding
• Read more about the Province’s Tourism Sector Action Plan here: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2026TACS0002-000212
• Learn more about viaSport and the work it does to support the provincial sport sector: https://viasport.ca/