The Ontario government recently announced an investment of over $1.5 million to help expand sport and recreation opportunities for children in the City of Hamilton and across the province.
The $1.5 million in funds will be provided to Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities and is part of the province’s 2024-25 Inclusive Grassroots Recreation (IGR) program.
The IGR program seeks to provide children and youth from under-represented and/or marginalized populations the opportunity to participate in sport and recreation programming.
Since its inception in 2021-22, the IGR program has helped more than 65,000 children and youth.
The Ontario government provided $1 million to Jumpstart through the program in 2023-24, which enabled more than one million hours of play for 20,510 children and youth.
This year, the government has opted to increase their investment by 50 per cent, adding $500,000 more to help families overcome financial and accessibility barriers.
The funding was announced by Minister of Sport Neil Lumsden, who also serves as the Member of Provincial Parliament for Hamilton East – Stoney Creek.
Lumsden commented, “Our government is proud to partner with Jumpstart and invest in community-based programs which promote physical activity, teach new skills and encourage children and youth to lead healthier lives.”
“We believe all kids deserve access to fun, high-quality sport and recreation programs. At a time when families across Ontario are facing the threat of higher costs because of tariffs, this support will help Jumpstart continue to remove financial barriers to help more kids participate in programs in their community.”
One of Jumpstart’s community partners is a Hamilton-based organization called the Fit Active Beautiful (FAB) Foundation, who have the aim of “helping young girls become strong women” through physical activity.
FAB Foundation provides a free running and life skills program tailored towards girls in low-income neighbourhoods in Hamilton.
Through FAB, girls from grades six to eight train for and complete a 5 km run.
Carol Edelkoort, the Executive Director of the FAB Foundation, says that their program “has always prioritized removing barriers to participation in sport for young girls living in priority neighbourhoods.”
“Thanks to funding from Jumpstart, we can provide each participant with high-quality running shows and training shirts, allowing girls to engage fully with confidence and pride, both in our program and beyond,” she continued.
Marco Di Buono, the President of Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, also touted the government funding through his comments.
“As we mark a milestone 20 years of helping get kids off the sidelines and into the game, this investment will allow us to expand our reach and make a greater impact in the lives of Ontario’s kids through the power of sport and play,” said Di Buono.
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
