Affordability of Sport: A Gap We Need to Close

Kevin Shields
Aug 15
3 min read

Updated: 6 days ago

#2 in the Series: Thirty Years Crossing the Country, by Kevin Shields

This week, the Canadian government released its new Sport Policy paper for 2025-2035. The desired outcomes are clear: healthier Canadians and strong and resilient communities.

Image: 2025-2035 Canadian Sport Policy

“The purpose of this Policy is to guide and inspire everyone to work together to create sport environments that focus on people, reflect shared values, and enhance the health and culture of Canada and its communities.”

The Honourable Adam van Koeverden, Minister of Sport, identified three major barriers to participation in sport. The biggest? Affordability.

Link to Lets Move Canada Instagram

Parents Look for Affordable Youth Sports

Thirty years ago, with young kids, our family chose to join a cross-country ski club in Waterloo, Ontario. There were many aspects of the activity and club that drew us to skiing. It was an affordable activity with low club fees; the equipment was simple and not expensive. There was a vibrant outdoor community, and the activity offered both recreational and competitive experiences. As with most community sports in Canada, volunteerism was a core value of the ski club, and I immediately got involved as a coach and program coordinator.

It was my pleasure to work with parents, board members, and partners over the next eighteen years with the Waterloo Region Ski Club, controlling costs for participants and supporting athletes in their pursuit of competitive ski racing. Volunteer coaches, equipment rental programs, partnerships with equipment suppliers, fundraising efforts (including grants and events), and prudent management of operational costs ensured that participation costs for families—especially in a competitive sports program—remained fairly affordable.

Later, when I coached at Lappe Nordic Ski Club in Thunder Bay, I saw the same values at work: a strong tradition of volunteerism and a commitment to making skiing inclusive and accessible.

Cost Escalation in Sport

Over the past 10-15 years, the sports environment has undergone a dramatic change with costs increasing sharply. As Adam van Koeverden identified, financial barriers are now the biggest obstacle to sport participation. So, what are the increased costs of sport participation over the past decade? In my experience with cross-country skiing (and I expect it is common in many other sports during this time), five areas are contributing to the jump in the cost to play sports:

Increase Cost for Sport Participation

Equipment - younger athletes often need more expensive skis, boots, and waxing services.
Coaching - Coach education requirements have increased costs; many clubs have a hybrid coaching structure with a paid coach(es).
Program fees - Coaching and facility costs increase; year-round programs available for younger ages. (Additionally, gym fees and supplemental coaching fees.)
Travel - participation in a race series requires more travel, including longer distances travelled in a season (which may involve air travel) and longer events, leading to higher expenses.
Race entry fees - larger events with more infrastructure, fewer local, smaller-scale races.

Results of Cost Escalation

Cost escalation is a result of the creation of a high-performance sport system which focuses on youth athlete development. This has fueled cost increases, resulting in less affordable and inclusive programs, burnout and injury of young athletes and fewer opportunities for older athletes within our community ski clubs. What can we change from 2025-2035 to see the Sport Canada vision of communities “working together to enable everyone to grow, excel and achieve wellbeing through sport”? Volunteers at ski clubs like Waterloo Region and Lappe Nordic are trying to mitigate costs through increased fundraising, partnerships, and prudent operations. Strong partners, sponsors and donors will become more critical for community clubs. Along with effective fundraising, clubs can address issues like coaching capacity and access to equipment without large increased costs to families/participants. This re-focus on people will lead to healthier Canadians and stronger, more resilient communities.