Nova Scotia adds $5 million to sports budgets to increase access, diversity

HALIFAX — Nova Scotia’s Liberal government is investing $5 million in measures aimed at making sports more inclusive, as well as more accessible to people with disabilities.

Premier Iain Rankin announced the investment includes $2 million in added funding for KidSport, a program that provides grants to help cover the costs of sport registration and equipment fees.

There is also $2 million to increase access to recreation facilities and improve the availability of accessible equipment across the province, along with $500,000 for Sport Nova Scotia’s ParaSport program

The province says the investments “focus on removing barriers for those who want to participate in community and competitive sport but haven’t been able to because of ability, limited equipment, funding or programming.”

The funding will also provide $500,000 to improve equity in coaching, with new programs for women, Mi’kmaq, African Nova Scotians and those who coach people with physical and intellectual disabilities.

The province estimates almost 150,000 Nova Scotians are currently members of an organized sports programs, and there are about 1,200 coaches supporting those programs.