(Ottawa, Ont.) The Canadian Paralympic Committee is pleased by today’s proclamation by His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, that 2015 will be the Year of Sport in Canada.
Today’s event on Parliament Hill featured the ceremonial torch lighting for the Prince George 2015 Canada Winter Games – one of the key events in the Year of Sport – and a prized development opportunity for young athletes.
“Congratulations to the Canada Games Council and the city of Prince George on the lighting of the torch, which I know will be a beacon of inspiration for our country’s developing athletes,” said Karen O’Neill, CEO of the Canadian Paralympic Committee. “The Year of Sport will promote Canada’s position as a leading sports nation and highlight the power of sport to enhance the lives of all Canadians.”
The Year of Sport in Canada is a proactive pan-Canadian initiative to celebrate the role that sport plays in our country and encourage Canadians to participate in and seek the benefits of sport. During the year, sport events and other celebratory activities will highlight how sport benefits Canadians.
The Canadian Paralympic Committee is looking forward with great anticipation to the Year of Sport in Canada, particularly the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games to be held Aug. 7 to 15, 2015.
“We are very excited about the opportunity for Toronto to host the best Parapan American Games in history and for Team Canada to have the chance to compete on home soil,” said O’Neill. “With all 15 sports contested in Toronto also qualifiers for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, the 2015 Parapan American Games will showcase the best athletes in the Americas and the Caribbean.
“Hosting the Games in Toronto will also be an opportunity to enhance awareness for the Paralympic movement in the Americas, as the London 2012 Paralympic Games did in Europe.”
In 2015, communities across Canada will have the honour of hosting several high-profile national and international sport events, including the International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Hockey Championship in Toronto and Montréal; the 25th edition of the Canada Games in Prince George, British Columbia; the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Women’s World Cup Canada 2015; and the 2015 Pan and Parapan American Games, which will bring over 10,000 athletes and coaches from the Americas to Toronto and the Golden Horseshoe region.
About the Canadian Paralympic Committee
The Canadian Paralympic Committee is a non-profit, private organization with 25 member sports organizations dedicated to strengthening the Paralympic Movement. The Canadian Paralympic Committee’s vision is to be the world’s leading Paralympic nation. Its mission is to lead the development of a sustainable Paralympic sport system in Canada to enable athletes to reach the podium at the Paralympic Games. By supporting Canadian high performance athletes with a disability and promoting their success, the Canadian Paralympic Committee inspires all Canadians with a disability to get involved in sport through programs delivered by its member organizations. For more information, visit www.paralympic.ca.