ABSTRACT
In Canada, sport, including recreational sport, is delivered and managed across three sectors – the public or government sector, the voluntary or non-profit sector, and the private or commercial sector. Within the public sector, three levels of government (federal, provincial, municipal), each with their own mandate, are involved in sport delivery. The federal government is involved with sport through shaping policy, collaborating with provinces and territories to set priorities, and contributing financially to sport through Sport Canada (a branch of the Department of Canadian Heritage). The provincial government role is primarily to assist and enable municipalities and community groups in providing services (e.g., financial support, consulting, and resources). Broadly, provinces provide leadership in policy development; consultation services to governing bodies such as Provincial Sport Organizations (PSOs) and Community Sport Organizations (CSOs); assistance with building partnerships or strategic alliances; financial investment in municipalities and sport organizations; and they also champion the benefits of sport and physical activity. However, the provincial departments in which sport is housed vary (e.g., Parks, Culture, and Sport in Saskatchewan; Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture in New Brunswick), as do the specific mandates of each department. Municipal governments are responsible for direct provision of recreational sport opportunities to residents by providing basic, affordable programs (e.g., swimming, tennis, and skating lessons) and indoor and outdoor facilities that both facilitate residents’ sport participation and also support local voluntary sport organizations in the services they provide. Public sector recreational sport delivery is further complicated by an affiliated public delivery system – education – which engages youth in sport education and facilitates competitive sport opportunities.
