The Niagara Sport Commission (NSC) operated from June, 2009 to October, 2017 as a regional development agency using sport as a catalyst for economic (sport tourism) and community (active healthy lifestyle programs) development within the Niagara Region.

NSC was dedicated to using sport in building partnerships among business, government, and community organizations to leverage combined resources for the benefit of sport organizations and residents in Niagara. This included making the case for the value of sport and its contribution to Niagara’s economy and well-being. The NSC offered services to enhance sport offerings in the Niagara Region, including:

  • Event Management and Operations
  • Marketing and Sponsorship 
  • Media and Community Relations
  • Community Sport Programming
  • Volunteer Management
  • Economic Impact Assessment
  • Revenue Generation
  • Operations and Logistics
  • Hotel Coordination
  • Professional Training and Development

Source: Niagara Sport Commission (NSC)
Retrieved from:  NSC website

Concussions in Sport

According to Niagara Region Public Health statistics, in Niagara, most emergency room visits for concussions are by people 10 to 19 years of age. Recently there has been a lot of attention paid to this particular type of injury because of the long-term implications of traumatic brain injury.

Source:  Niagara Region Public Health
Retrieved from: http://www.niagararegion.ca/health/activity-nutrition/concussions/default.aspx and http://www.niagaraknowledgeexchange.com/community-blog/concussions-and-minor-sports-in-niagara/

More than 50 per cent of brain injuries in youth are caused by participation in sports.  Children and youth are six times more likely to experience a concussion in organized sports than other leisure physical activities. School boards across Ontario are now mandated to have concussion programs in place to educate parents, students, teachers and coaches about concussions and policies to manage them. Some sports clubs may be looking to do this, too. A November, 2015 Brock University podcast explores the topic of concussions and what can be done about them.  

Source:  Brock University
Retrieved from: http://www.niagaraknowledgeexchange.com/resources-publications/consider-this-concussions-in-childrens-sports-when-in-doubt-sit-them-out-podcast/

Financial Support for Child and Youth Participation in Sport in Niagara

Niagara Region offers a ProKids program, in partnership with the YMCA of Niagara, to help fund child participation in sports for low-income families living in Niagara.

Source: Niagara Region
Retrieved from: http://www.niagararegion.ca/living/childcare/financial-assistance/recreation-culture-programs.aspx

Kid Sport Niagara is a grass-roots organization that provides funding to children to remove financial barriers to sport participation.

Source: Kid Sport Niagara
Retrieved from: http://kidsportniagara.ca/

Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities is committed to making play and sport more accessible to Canadian kids who face barriers.

Source: Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities
Retrieved from: http://jumpstart.canadiantire.ca/en.html

The Bob Gale Recreation Fund was founded in 2008 ‘to provide financial assistance to individuals from Niagara Falls of all ages who otherwise would not be able to participate in active and healthy lifestyle activities’.

Source: Bob Gale Recreation Fund
Retrieved from: http://www.bobgalerecreationfund.com/

The following table provides insight into participation in programs and activities offered by the YMCA of Niagara across the Niagara region from 2014 to 2016.

Participation in YMCA of Niagara Activities –  2014-2016 Average
Indicator Participation
Number of children and youth participating in YMCA of Niagara programs 16,017
Number of adults participating in programs as part of a healthy lifestyle 43,332
Number of sites that offer programs 112
Number of youth outreach sites in identified neighbourhoods 20
Number of youth participating in neighbourhood outreach sites 1,032
Number of visits to neighbourhood outreach sites 7,506
Number of children and youth who attended camp (14 sites) 3,012
Number of volunteers 770

Source: YMCA of Niagara [data files].

Additional information is available at https://www.ymcaofniagara.org/about-the-ymca/publications/

Niagara Prosperity Initiative Investment

Between 2008 and 2016, a total of 318 neighbourhood-based projects were contracted out to 83 different agencies by Niagara Region’s Niagara Prosperity Initiative (NPI).  Educational Programs for Children/Youth included projects focusing on playground programs, teen active living, summer and winter break camps, and engaging children and youth in recreation and sports activities.

Niagara Prosperity Initiative

Source: Literacy Link Niagara, Niagara Employment Network, Niagara Prosperity Initiative and the Niagara Poverty Reduction Network – presented by Marc Todd, Niagara Region Community Services
Retrieved From: http://www.literacylinkniagara.ca/niagara-employment-network/

Healthy Kids Community Challenge in Niagara
Retrieved From: http://www.literacylinkniagara.ca/niagara-employment-network/

Niagara is one of 45 Ontario communities participating in the Healthy Kids Community Challenge, engaging diverse partners to implement activities to reduce and prevent childhood overweight and obesity, with $1.125 million in funding support for Niagara from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. The Challenge is based on the EPODE (Ensemble Prevenons I’Obesite des Enfants- Together Let’s Prevent Childhood Obesity) methodology, recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a best practice in childhood overweight and obesity prevention.

Beginning in 2015, one specific theme is delivered every 9 months, including:

  • Run. Jump. Play Every Day – encouraging daily physical activity and making Niagara a community where it’s easy for kids to be active
  • Water Does Wonders – raising awareness, providing opportunities for kids and families to learn all about how water is essential for good health and finding ways to make it easier for kids to choose healthy drinks more often
  • Choose to Boost Veggies and Fruits – encouraging kids and families to reach for more vegetables and fruit. Canada’s Food Guide recommends children aged 2-13 years old eat 4-6 servings of veggies and fruit each day. However, we know kids and adults often fall short of this goal.

Source:  Niagara Region Public Health
Retrieved from: https://healthykidsniagara.ca/home

Source:  Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
Retrieved from: http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/programs/healthykids/hkcc.aspx

The Centre for Sport Capacity (CSC) at Brock University  draws on the collaboration of faculty, students, colleagues from other institutions, and experts from the sport community. It acts in research and granting collaboration, community outreach, and international engagement to examine how individuals within organizations can build and utilize ‘capacity’ for the overall improvement of Canadian sport. As both a research and development centre, the CSC is the nucleus through which people, research, information, funding, and policy development flow to create and deliver ongoing skills-based training for large numbers sport volunteers with key administrative functions.

In 2012, CSC researchers began a 3-year project focused on improving leadership in community sports. The research was conducted in collaboration with Canadian Sport for Life, Basketball Ontario, the Ontario Soccer Association, the Ontario Volleyball Association and the Toronto Sport Council.

Source:  Brock University
Retrieved from: https://brocku.ca/research-at-brock/institutes-and-centres/#sportcapacity and https://brocku.ca/brock-news/2012/02/study-aims-to-improve-community-sports/

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