FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 8, 2010 – Canadian Sport Centre Pacific and the network of PacificSport Centres applaud the Federal Government and the Province of BC for stepping up commitments and further investing in High Performance Sport. 

The Harper government announced Thursday that it has committed an additional $22 million to Own the Podium to bring the budget for summer and winter high performance sport to $69 million. The Province of BC also announced this week that a renewed emphasis on sport and the arts has inspired a commitment of $60 million over three years for the 2010 Sport and Arts Legacy.

 “Canada’s performance at the 2010 Games has ushered in a new age for sporting excellence. We have turned a corner as a nation – not only winning more medals than ever before in Canadian history at a Winter Games, fourteen of which were record-setting gold, but also in achieving another 50 top five finishes and 72 top eight finishes,” said Wendy Pattenden, CEO, CSC Pacific.

“We are proud to add that British Columbia’s athletes accounted for 17.7% of Team Canada and brought home 23.1% of Canada’s medals – a marked improvement over previous Olympic Winter Games,” added Pattenden. “These improvements would not have been made without the unprecedented investments of the Federal Government and the Province of BC in the lead up to the Games. The announcement of continued investment from both levels of government is exceptional and will ensure we continue to sing the national anthem along with our athletes as they stand atop the podium.”

Canadian Sport Centre Pacific Chair, Giuseppe Liberatore, believes the performances of Canada’s athletes at the Olympic and Paralympic Games will inspire the nation to get involved in sport. “The 2010 Games proved once again that medals do matter – they inspire pride, bring communities together, and boost the health of our citizens and our economy,” said Liberatore. “We look forward to carrying this momentum through to the next Games and beyond. Let sport not only be a source of pride for our country at the elite echelon, but more importantly, a vehicle for each of us to strive for personal excellence and a healthier, more active lifestyle.”

ABOUT CANADIAN SPORT CENTRE PACIFIC
Canadian Sport Centre Pacific, in partnership with the national network of Canadian Sport Centres and provincial network of PacificSport Centres, delivers sport performance programs to help athletes and coaches win medals for Canada. Working in support of our national and provincial sport partners,  Canadian Sport Centre Pacific is creating a stronger system for the development of athletes, coaches, integrated support teams and sport performance facilities.
Find out how we are Powering Sport Performance at www.cscpacific.ca.

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