'Next Gen’ athlete program to get $10M funding boost from feds, COC, CPC pledge fundraising to match

Playground to podium has served as a mission statement of sorts for federal Secretary of State for Sport Adam van Koeverden since being named to the position in 2025.

To date, much focus has centred on promoting sport participation — the playground — and Olympic-level athletes — the podium.

Now, the in-between will get a boost, too.

The federal government announced Thursday it is doubling its investment in the Next Gen program from $5 million to $10 million. In addition, the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee have committed to raise matching funds through the private sector and donations.

Altogether, it would represent a four-fold boost for the program, taking effect this year.

Canada’s Next Gen program, which was founded in 2017, focuses on athletes whose development has exceeded the community level but has not yet reached the elite level.

A total of 535 Canadian Next Gen athletes have competed at the Olympics and Paralympics, combining for 118 medals, including 31 across both Milano-Cortina Games. More than half of the Canadians competing and medals won in Italy came from athletes who went through the Next Gen program.

“Through this innovative partnership with the private sector, we’re bringing new investment into Canadian sport to support the next generation of Team Canada athletes. Every time an Olympic or Paralympic athlete competes, they wear the maple leaf on their jersey or the Canada name on their back. They represent all of us, and we’re making sure they have what they need, from playground to podium,” van Koeverden said in a statement.

Sitting volleyball Paralympic bronze medallist Heidi Peters said the Next Gen program has been crucial to her team’s success.

“These funds support us