Canada’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes and coaches are set to receive $3.11 million in funding for mental health services this winter. Secretary of Sport Adam van Koeverden, an Olympic kayak champion, announced the allocation in Montreal ahead of the 2026 Winter Games in Milan and Cortina, Italy. The move aims to ensure uninterrupted mental health services for athletes leading up to the Olympics and Paralympics.
Van Koeverden emphasized the importance of providing certainty in funding to support athletes’ mental well-being, stating that mental health services are crucial for athletes’ overall performance. The funding, part of the federal government’s $16 million commitment in the 2024 budget, focuses on supporting the well-being of athletes and coaches over a two-year period.
The allocated $3.11 million for 2025-26 will be divided among the national network of sport institutes, the Canadian Olympic Committee, and the Canadian Paralympic Committee. It will also support Game Plan, a collaborative effort to assist athletes in their career development and post-retirement wellness. Both the CPC CEO Karen O’Neill and Van Koeverden highlighted the significance of mental health support in creating a healthy and athlete-centered high-performance environment.
The initiative aligns with the International Olympic Committee’s Mental Health Action Plan, which was launched in 2023 in response to findings that 34% of elite athletes experience anxiety and depression. With the Winter Games in Italy approaching, the funding injection underscores the commitment to prioritizing athletes’ mental well-being alongside their physical performance.
