For Immediate Release 2018TAC0067-001766 Sept. 14, 2018 NEWS RELEASE B.C. communities to host sports events with government help VICTORIA Twenty-three B.C. communities will gain valuable experience staging provincial, regional, national and international sport championships over the next year, thanks to grants from the provincial government. Sports competitions provide great benefits for B.C. residents, said Lisa Beare, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture. They promote athlete development, bring people together and help organizations gain expertise in hosting large events, which boost local economies. By investing in sport events, we are investing in the future of our communities. This announcement reflects the latest instalment in the Province s Hosting BC grants. The $175,650 will provide organizations with support for hosting sports competitions. The grants will go to 39 events throughout B.C., including: the 2018 North American Cup Bobsleigh Skeleton Championships in Whistler; the 2019 Wheelchair Curling Championships in Langley; and the 2019 BC Long Track Speedskating Championship in Fort St. John. The B.C. government provides $500,000 in Hosting BC grants each year as part of its annual $50 -million funding commitment for amateur sport in the province. Hosting BC grants are administered by viasport, a non-profit society that provides funding and support to more than 70 provincial sports organizations. This program ensures that every area of our province has opportunities to host and benefit from championship sport events, said Sheila Bouman, CEO of viasport. We re delighted by the number of applications we have been receiving from adaptive sports organizations and communities outside the Lower Mainland. The Hosting BC grants provide communities throughout the province with opportunities to inspire more British Columbians of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to participate in sport experiences that are safe, inclusive and meaningful. The Hosting BC program was established to promote sport, economic and community development and to maintain B.C. s reputation as an exceptional sport event destination. Three times a year, applicants can apply for grants to help host international, national, western Canadian, provincial and regional sport events in their communities. The current intake period closes Oct. 4, 2018. Since 2004, the Hosting BC program has provided $6.4 million, supporting more than 1,000 sporting events. Quick Facts:
viasport British Columbia is a not-for-profit organization, created in 2011, with the support of the provincial government. It was created to build a stronger, more effective system that brings more families to the field of play, more fans into the stands, more athletes to the podium and more sport events to the province. viasport s mandate is to increase awareness, opportunity and participation in sport throughout the province, at every stage of life and in every community. Grants range from $1,000 to $35,000. Applications for funding are reviewed by the Hosting BC review committee, which is comprised of leaders in the sport and tourism sectors. In the spring of 2018, viasport awarded $190,000 in Hosting BC grants to help sports organizations stage 41 competitions in B.C., including the 2018 Canada Cup International Field Hockey Tournament in Surrey. The Hosting BC grants open for applications every four months. Learn More: viasport British Columbia: https://www.viasport.ca/ Complete list of grant recipients: https://www.viasport.ca/grant/hosting-bc For information on the Hosting BC grant process and application: https://www.viasport.ca/grant/hosting-bc B.C. s new hosting toolkit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/sports-culture/events-hosting/hosting-toolkit A backgrounder follows. Contacts: Carolyn Jack Government Communications and Public Engagement Carolyn.Jack@gov.bc.ca 250 893-4449 Ninu Gill Communications and Engagement Director viasport ninug@viasport.ca 778 655-1742 Connect with the Province of B.C. at: news.gov.bc.ca/connect
For Immediate Release 2018TAC0067-001766 Sept. 14, 2018 BACKGROUNDER Thirty-nine sport events receive provincial funding The Government of British Columbia has awarded Sport Hosting Event Grant funding to 39 events, planned to take place between Aug. 4, 2018, and Sept. 28, This brings the total number of B.C. events awarded funding in 2018 to 80. The latest applicants awarded funding, listed by community, are: Abbotsford: Boxing BC Association 2019 BC Provincial Boxing Championships & Canada Winter Games Qualifier, Dec. 7-8, 2018. Burnaby: BC Blind Sports and Recreation 2018 Canadian Blind Hockey Western Regional Tournament, Nov. 23-25, 2018. Burnaby: BC Netball Association Canada Cayman Islands Test Match, Oct. 23-29, 2018. Castlegar: Castlegar Skating Club West Kootenay Invitational, Nov. 30-Dec. 2, 2018. Funding: $1,000 Colwood: Victoria Bowmen Association 2019 BC Indoor Archery Championships, April 19-21, Coquitlam: BC Lacrosse Association Midget, Bantam and PeeWee Box Lacrosse National Championships, Aug. 18-24, Funding: $7,500 Duncan: Duncan Meadows Members Association Canadian Men s Amateur Golf Championships, Aug. 6-9, 2018. Fort St. John: Fort St. John Recreational & Speed Skating Club Canada Cup #1/BC Long Track Team Selection 2019 CWG, Dec. 7-9, 2018. Funding: $3,500 Fort St. John: Fort St. John Recreational & Speed Skating Club BC Long Track (Speedskating) Provincial Championships, Jan. 19-20, Funding: $2,150 Invermere: BC Snowboard Association Speed Nation SBX NorAm Tour, Jan. 18-20,
Kamloops: Kamloops Summer Swim Club Okanagan Regional Swim Meet, Aug. 4-5, 2018. Funding: $1,000 Kelowna: BC Lacrosse Association 2019 Youth Field Lacrosse U18/U15 National Championships, Aug. 29-Sept. 2, Langley: Langley Facilities Society 2019 FIL World Indoor Lacrosse Championship, Sept. 19-28, Funding: $15,000 Langley: Langara College Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association Men s Basketball National Championship, March 13-16, Langley: Curl BC 2019 BC Wheelchair Curling Championship, Jan. 4-6, Langley: Skate Canada BC/ Yukon Section BC/Yukon Open Synchro Competition, Dec. 15, 2018. Funding: $2,500 North Vancouver: British Columbia Amateur Baseball Association 2018 Western Canada Baseball Association 18U AAA Championships, Aug. 16-19, 2018. Funding: $4,000 North Vancouver: Tennis British Columbia Davis Trading Vancouver ITF Junior Championships, Oct. 8-13, 2018. Osoyoos: Royal Canadian Golf Association 2019 Canadian Women s Mid Amateur and Senior Championship, Aug. 19-21, Port Coquitlam: Flicka Gymnastics Club North Shore Invitational and Elite Canada Trials, Dec. 1-2, 2018. Funding: $1,000 Prince George: Prince George Ringette Association 2019 Ringette Provincials, March 8-10, Funding: $4,000 Qualicum Beach: Qualicum Beach Lawn Bowls Club 2018 Canadian National Mixed Pairs Lawn Bowling, Sept. 11-15, 2018. Funding: $2,000 Quesnel: Curl BC 2019 BC Men s and Women s Curling Championships, Feb. 5-10, Funding: $6,000 Richmond: BC Taekwondo Federation 2018 Canada Open, Sept. 13-16, 2018.
Funding: $10,000 Richmond: Skate Canada BC/Yukon 2018 Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating, Sept. 10-16, 2018. Funding: $10,000 Richmond: British Columbia Deaf Sports Federation 2019 Deaf Golf Championships, July 23-25, Richmond: Skate Canada BC/Yukon Section Mountain Regional Synchro, Jan. 25-27, Richmond: BC Wheelchair Basketball Society BC-CWBL Provincial Finals, April 6-7, Surrey: Field Hockey Canada International Test Series, Sept. 23-Oct. 8, 2018. Surrey: Vancouver Goalball Club 2019 Vancouver Goalball Grand Slam (Women s Division), March 8-10, Surrey: Water Polo Canada National Championship League 16U and 19U Western Conference Tournaments, Nov. 29, 2018-March 4, Funding: $2,000 Surrey: BC Summer Swimming Association BCSSA Provincials, Aug. 13-19, 2018. Vancouver: UBC Athletics and Recreation 2018 U Sports Men s Soccer National Championship, Nov. 7-11, 2018 Funding: $7,500 Vancouver: Volleyball BC Beach Volleyball Provincial Championships, Aug. 4-5, 2018 Funding: $2,500 Vernon: Curl BC 2019 Boston Pizza BC Junior Curling Championships, Dec. 27, 2018-Jan. 1, Vernon: Vernon Baseball Association Mosquito AAA and PeeWee AAA Provincials, Aug. 1-6, 2018. Westbank: Telemark Nordic Club 2019 Western Canadian Championships, Feb. 8-10, 2019 Whistler: Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton IBSF North American Cup Bobsleigh and Skeleton, Nov. 3-10, 2018
Whistler: CVXC Callahan Valley Cross Country Ski Club 2018 Haywood NorAm, World Junior, U23 Championship Trials, Dec. 13-16, 2018. Contacts: Carolyn Jack Government Communications and Public Engagement Carolyn.Jack@gov.bc.ca 250 893-4449 Ninu Gill Communications and Engagement Director viasport ninug@viasport.ca 778 655-1742 Connect with the Province of B.C. at: news.gov.bc.ca/connect