Fact Sheet

Funding to Support Active and Safe Participation in Sports and Recreation

News Release: Harper Government Supports Active and Safe Play

Unintentional Injuries among Children and Youth in Canada

Sports and recreation related injuries make up a significant proportion of unintentional injuries for children and youth up to age 19. In fact, 40% of child and youth injuries treated in Canadian emergency departments are sports and recreation related.  While the Government of Canada encourages Canada’s children and youth to become more active and live healthy lifestyles, it is also important to ensure their safety while being active.

Through the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Active and Safe injury prevention initiative, the Government of Canada is investing $5 million over two years to support a number of community-based projects that empower Canadians to make safe choices when they get involved in sports and recreational activities. Today’s announcement of over $196,000 will support two projects to increase injury prevention knowledge among parents and volunteer coaches involved in youth soccer and promote helmet use among youth.

Active and Safe Participation in Sport and Recreation

Two projects are being announced - Sport Safety and Injury Prevention in Community Sport and You’re Probably Not Expecting to Need a Helmet Today.

Sport Safety and Injury Prevention in Community Sport will be led by The Sports Medicine Council of British Columbia (SportMedBC) and will partner with BC Soccer, the Aboriginal Physical Activity and Recreation Partners Council, the Coaches Association of BC, the network of national and regional sport centres and various media outlets.

The project will:

  • Develop and deliver sport safety workshops and webinars; and
  • Enhance on-line information and resources and include a new “Ask the Experts” feature for the Sport Safety community.

You’re Probably Not Expecting to Need a Helmet Today will be led by The Community Against Preventable Injuries (Preventable) and will partner with organizations such as Parachute Leaders in Injury Prevention.

The project will:

  • Engage youth to develop peer-appropriate messages to support a national helmet safety awareness campaign based on Preventable’s previously successful campaign such as You're probably not expecting to drown today; and
  • Promote and disseminate the safety campaign across Canada.

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