When an athlete gets a card through the government’s Athlete Assistance Program (AAP), they become entitled to a monthly allowance of between $1,060 and $1,765, depending on their status.
Tuition and supplementary financial support is also available to some athletes approved for carding by Sport Canada. An extra living and training allowance of up to $500 a month is also available to athletes who have medaled at the most recent Olympic/Paralympic Games or world championships.
According to Sport Canada’s 2019-20 Status of the High Performance Athlete report, 75 per cent of athletes said the AAP is their most prevalent source of financial support. That was also the case in 2014 and 2009 and is followed, the report says, by a reliance on family and/or provincial programs.