Programoverview Quest for Goldontarioathleteassistance Program

ProgramOverview–Quest for GoldOntarioAthleteAssistance Program

Whatare the goals andobjectivesoftheQuestforGold -Ontario Athlete Assistance Program(OAAP)?

• Howwill theQuestfor Gold -OAAP achieve itsobjectives?

Howwill directfinancialassistancebe provided to Ontario athletes?

• Whatare the eligible expensesthata cardedathletecan spend funding on obtainedthrough theQuestforGold -Ontario Athlete Assistance Program?
• Are Questfor Gold– Ontario Athlete Assistance Programgrantsconsidered “income”under theFederal Income TaxAct?
• Paymentsfor the2015-2016 QuestforGold– OAAP

1.What arethegoalsandobjectivesof theQuest forGold -OntarioAthleteAssistanceProgram?

TheOntarioAthleteAssistance Program(OAAP) isoneaspectofthe funding offeredunder the 2015-2016Questfor GoldProgram.Inadditionto theOAAPtheQuestforGoldProgramalso providesfunding to enhanceaccessto highperformancecoachingandto provideenhancedcompetitiveopportunitiesandservicesforOntario athletes.FundingfortheQuestfor Gold Programisobtainedfromrevenuesgeneratedin2015-2016bytheQuest forGoldlotterygamethatisadministered bythe Ontario LotteryandGaming Corporation (OLG).

Theoverarching goalof the Questfor Gold –OAAPisdirectlyrelatedtothe HighPerformance SportgoaloftheCanadian SportPolicy–thatCanadiansaresystematicallyachievingworld-classresults atthe highestlevelsofinternationalcompetition–byimproving theperformanceandnumber ofOntario athletesperformingat thenationalandinternationallevel;therebycontributing totheimprovedperformanceofCanada atinternationalcompetitions.Specificobjectivesof the programare:

a)To help athletescontinuetheir pursuitofathleticexcellenceatthehighestlevelsofnationalandinternationalcompetition;

b)To encourageathletestostayinOntariotoliveandtrain;

c)To compensateathletes for earningslostwhiletraining;

d)To enable athletestosuccessfullypursue excellencein sportwhilefulfilling theireducationalgoals;

e)To increase athlete access toimproved highperformancecoaching;and

f)To enhancetraining andcompetitiveopportunitiesavailableto athletes.

2.How will theQuest forGold-OAAPachieveitsobjectives?

TheQuestfor Gold- OAAPachievesitsobjectivesby:

• Providing additionaldirectfinancialassistance(CanadaCard designation) toOntarioathleteswhoarecardedatthe nationallevel bySportCanada;
• Providing standardsfor theidentification and supportofeligiblesportsandeligiblejunior-agedOntarioathletestobe cardedattheProvinciallevel(OntarioCard);
• Ensuring thatProvincialSportandMulti-SportOrganizations(PSO/MSOs) haveappropriateselectionproceduresandcriteriainplace,forthe nominationofOntarioathletestobecarded at the Provinciallevel(OntarioCard);
• Providing OAAPcarding supportin aconsistentandtimelymannertoathleteswhomeettheir sport-specificcarding criteriainthosesportsthatmeetOAAPeligibilityrequirements;
• Focusing supportonjunior-agedathletesto assistintheir transitionfromjunior toseniornationalandinternationalcompetition;
• Providing aliving andtraining allowanceto helpoffsetsome of the costsathletesincuras aresultoftheir involvementin high-performancesport;
• Allowing financial assistance providedtobeusedtooffsettuitioncosts to allowathletestoattain academicgoals;
• Ensuring,inconjunctionwiththePSO/MSO,thatappropriate training andcompetitiveopportunitiesarein placeandproviding annual,ongoing andlong-termevaluationofathleteperformanceandpotential.

3.How will direct financialassistancebe providedtoOntarioathletes?

Directfinancialassistancewill beprovidedtoeligibleOntario athletesinthe formof alivingand training allowance.Assistancewill beprovidedthroughtwocarding designations–CanadaCard and OntarioCard.

CanadaCard-EligibilityislimitedtoOntarioathleteswhoare carded bySportCanada.TheCanadaCardwillprovideadditionalfunding over and abovethe fullvalueofthecarding designationtheathleteisreceiving fromSportCanada

–theactualvalue ofthecardisdependent on funding availableand thenumberofathletesawarded aCanadaCard.

OntarioCard -OntarioCard will providedirectfinancialassistance to Ontariojunior-agedathletesidentifiedbyPSO/MSOs.TheMinistrywillalsoconsider OntarioCarddesignation for some senior-agedParaSport/Paralympicathletesand able bodied athletesincertaincircumstances –SeeTab2. Theactual value of thecardisdependenton funding availableand thenumberofathletesawarded an OntarioCard.

Note:“Junior-agedathlete” isdefined bytheMinistryas thoseathleteswho fall withintheeligibleagerange for theCanadaGames - 11to22yearsofage.PSO/MSOsarefreetosetagegroupings thatfit withintheMinistrycriteriabasedon existing sport-specificage/discipline categories. APSO/MSOwithaNSO-approvedLongTermAthleteDevelopmentModel(LTADM) thatidentifiesolderathletesinthe“TraintoTrain” and“Train toCompete” categoriesmayapplytoMTCSforavariationtothis11-22 agerange.

APSO/MSOmaychooseto allocatea maximum of30%ofit’scarding allotmenttoathletesolder than 22 years of agewhohave beenidentifiedasapotentialnextgeneration nationalteamathletebythe PSO/MSO’sselection process.

For example,thesejunior-agedathleteswouldordinarilycompete in one of thefollowing developmentalcategories:

a)NationalJuniorTeam/NationalJunior DevelopmentTeamorTraining pool;

b)CanadaGameslevel;or

c)Provincialagegroup/Eliteclub/OntarioGameslevel.

AnAthletewithaDisability(AWAD) isdefinedasan athletenominated byaPSO/MSOthatisrecognizedbytheMinistryof Tourism,CultureandSportas being responsible forgovernanceof aparticular Paralympicsport.

Boththesportandathlete eligibilitycriteriamust bemetbefore financialassistancecanbeawardedtoanyathlete.

4.What arethe eligibleexpensesthat a cardedathletecanspendfundingonobtainedthroughtheQuest forGold- OntarioAthleteAssistanceProgram?

Carded athletesreceiving funding under the OntarioAthleteAssistanceProgramcanspend funding obtainedonlyonthefollowing items:

• Normalliving costs;
• Costsdirectlyassociatedwithtraining (e.g.coaching,facilityfees,other athleteservices);
• Costsassociated withattending training campsandcompetitions(e.g.entryfees,travelcosts);
• Sport-specificequipment;and
• Tuitionand educationrelatedexpenses(e.g.books,fees, commuting costs).

5.AreQuest forGold– OntarioAthleteAssistanceProgramgrantsconsidered“income”underthe FederalIncome Tax Act?

AthleteswhoreceiveanOAAPgrantwill notbeissuedaT4Aform.

TheCRAhasadvisedthatthe benefitsreceived fromthe Quest forGold– OAAPProgramaregenerallytobereceivedbyrecipient’staxfree withinthe meaning oftheFederalIncomeTaxAct.

If OAAP-fundedathleteshaveanyquestionsregarding their personal taxsituation,theyshould contacttheCRAat1-800-267-6999or online at

6.Paymentsforthe2015-2016Quest forGold-OAAP

For 2015-2016 eligibleathleteswillreceivecardingstatusfor onecarding year startingfromApril 1,2015–March31,2016. Allpaymentswill beprocessedbeforeMarch 31,2015.Theamountoftotalpaymentto eligibleathleteswill bedetermined at a laterdate,oncethe totalquantityofeligibleathletesisknown