Funding will be provided to the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario, Coaches Association of Ontario, and Quest for Gold Programme. 

Through the Quest for Gold programme, the Ontario Government is providing C$6.36 million (£3.77 million/$4.83 million/€4.08 million) in direct financial assistance to 1,438 high-performance athletes. 

Quest for Gold athletes receive funding that helps offset costs of training and living expenses, which could include rent, costs to attend a training camp, equipment and education-related expenses.

The Government is also providing up to C$12.3 million (£7.3 million/$9.3 million/€7.9 million) to Canadian Sports Institute Ontario over three years, and up to C$3.21 million (£1.90 million/$2.44 million/€2.06 million) to the Coaches Association of Ontario over three years to support high-performance athletes and their coaches.

The announcement was made by Ontario's Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries Lisa MacLeod.

"This has been a challenging and unprecedented time for Ontario's amateur athletes and sport sector, but today marks an important step in their recovery," she said. 

"Helping out high-performance athletes return to the podium is part of our Government's commitment to supporting a double bottom line, that drives our economy and strengthens our cultural fabric."

Many athletes receiving the funding will be preparing for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo, postponed until 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"As we gradually reopen the province safely, we are looking forward to the 2021 Tokyo Summer Games and other competitions, as 2021 is shaping up to be a marquee year for amateur sports in Ontario and around the world," said MacLeod.

Canadian Olympic Committee chief executive and secretary general David Shoemaker thanked the Ontario Government for the investment. 

"The Canadian Olympic Committee is grateful for the continued commitment from the Government of Ontario and Minister Lisa MacLeod, particularly during this critical and challenging time," he said.  

"This funding will help maintain a best-in-class amateur sport system in the province and support Ontario’s high-performance athletes on their journey to the Olympic podium as we navigate the complexities of a return to sport in the COVID-19 environment."