Canadian sliding sports to unite under one umbrella

Three sliding sports will soon come under one administrative umbrella in Canada.

Bobsleigh Skeleton Canada and Luge Canada announced an agreement to amalgamate on Thursday, with the goal of beginning operations as one entity in the spring of 2027.

The news comes as national sport organizations are being encouraged to consider amalgamation and sharing services as a way to be more financially sustainable. The Future of Sport in Canada Commission's final report, released this past spring, said many national sport organizations would need to amalgamate "to ensure their long-term stability and survival."

“Canada’s sport system is changing, and we would rather lead that change than wait for it,” Kien Tran, CEO of Bobsleigh Skeleton Canada, said in a statement. “Bringing our organizations together creates efficiencies, gives us greater scale and strengthens our ability to attract investment and partnerships. Ultimately, that means more capacity to invest in our athletes, coaches and programs and build a stronger future for Canadian sliding sports.”

National sport organizations are seeing funding increases across the board, following a massive injection of federal dollars toward sport in Canada at the federal level. It's much-needed cash that sport organizations have called for over years.

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But that money has also come with a call to do things differently, including pursuing mergers and finding more money from the corporate sector.

Canada's secretary of state for sport, Adam van Koeverden, said he was "thrilled" to see the two organizations