Minister Guilbeault Congratulates E-Alliance on Launch of Research Hub for Gender+ Equity in Sport

To create an environment where girls and women feel comfortable participating in sport at all ages and levels, it’s important to understand why they are discouraged from participating in sport or moving into the senior coaching, management or leadership ranks in the first place.

Recognizing that girls and women still face barriers in ascending to leadership positions in sport, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage, congratulated E-Alliance on the official launch of the Research Hub for Gender+ Equity in Sport today.

The hub began operations a week ago. It is one of the initiatives that will help the Government of Canada achieve gender equity in sport at all levels by 2035.

The Government of Canada has invested $1.6 million to design, create and implement the Research Hub for Gender+ Equity in Sport, in order to support applied research in sport.

Directed by Gretchen Kerr (University of Toronto), Guylaine Demers (Laval University) and Ann Pegoraro (University of Guelph), the hub will work with a unique network of academic researchers, sport representatives, government and non-government organizations as well as gender equity experts from outside sport and academia. Together, they form a central resource hub dedicated to research that will generate knowledge to support gender+ equity in sport.

Research has shown the barriers that girls, women and underrepresented groups face in sport are increasing because of COVID-19. The hub’s work is essential in ensuring that gender+ equity remains at the forefront of the return to sport.