230 Ontario Athletes Set to Compete at ParaSport Games in Brantford
The province is celebrating the start of this year’s Ontario ParaSport Games in Brantford and the surrounding region, which will provide opportunities for Ontario’s athletes to compete while boosting the local economy.
The Ontario ParaSport Games are the province’s premier para-sport competition. The Games promote public awareness of para-sports, showcase many of Ontario’s best athletes, and benefit host communities through a legacy of barrier-free infrastructure and a surge of visitors who inject money into the local economy.
“The Ontario ParaSport Winter Games provide a valuable competitive opportunity for our aspiring athletes with the added advantages inherent in bringing athletes from different sports together at a multi-sport Games. The ParaSport Games serves as both a stepping stone to national and international competition and a source of camaraderie for athletes with a physical disability in Ontario. The City of Brantford and the County of Brant have created an ideal environment for performance with their excellent facilities and amazing volunteer network.”— Joe Millage, Chairperson, ParaSport Ontario
From February 10th to 12th, 230 athletes will compete in 11 events, including:
- Para-alpine
- Para-archery
- Boccia
- Curling – wheelchair
- Curling – visually impaired
- Goalball
- Para-Nordic skiing
- Sitting volleyball
- Sledge hockey
- Wheelchair basketball
- 5-a-side soccer.
The Games are open to the public, free of charge. Over 350 participants, including athletes, coaches and officials will take part, and over 180 volunteers have been recruited to help make the Games a success.
Investing in the development of our amateur athletes is part of the government’s plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives.
QUICK FACTS
- Through the Games Ontario program, the province provided $60,000 to the City of Brantford and the County of Brant to deliver the Games.
- Through the Quest For Gold program, the province invested $928,050 in direct financial assistance to the province’s parasport athletes in 2015-16.
- The first Ontario Paralympic Games were held in 1975.
- Approximately 1.85 million people in Ontario have disabilities, or 1 in 7.
- Ontario is investing in the upcoming 2017 Invictus Games in Toronto to support recovery for wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women around the world.
- In 2016-17, the Games Ontario sport hosting program is projected to contribute $5.2 million to the GDP. The ParaSport Games are expected to have a positive economic impact of over $500,000 for the City of Brantford and County of Brant.
- The Ontario government has identified people with disabilities as an under-represented group in sport, and Game ON – the Ontario Government’s Sport Plan commits to review parasport programming to increase participation in sport and recreation.
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