Minister Schow touts sporting initiatives in Budget 2025

Posted on March 13, 2025 by Ryan Dahlman

By Heather Cameron
Southern Alberta Newspapers
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

On February 28, Joseph Schow, Government House Leader, Minister of Tourism and Sport, and MLA for Cardston-Siksika, spoke about how Budget 2025 will help ‘break down barriers to sport and recreation’ in Alberta.

“Alberta’s government remains committed to supporting Alberta families facing the higher cost of living, which is why we’re breaking down the financial barriers that prevent kids from engaging in sport and recreation and getting them back in the game,” said MLA Schow. “Imagine the disappointment of being forced to watch from the sidelines as your friends play the sport you love, and the only thing holding you back is the cost of registration. This is an unfortunate reality for families across Canada. Parents are facing financial challenges and being forced to make the impossible decision between paying bills, buying groceries, and getting their kids active in sports and recreation. Participating in sports builds confidence, resilience, teaches teamwork and sport provides a community, a sense of belonging, and builds healthy habits that last well into adulthood. I often say healthy kids become healthy teens become healthy adults. It’s why our government is working to create a future where every kid can access sport and recreation without barriers so they can stop watching from the sidelines and start playing.”

If Budget 2025 is passed, MLA Schow stated, it would provide $8 million to the ‘Every Kid Can Play’ Program.

“In the past year alone, over 12,200 kids who would’ve otherwise been unable to access sport, were able to play and get into the get into the game thanks to the Every Kid Can Play program helping cover the cost of registration,” said MLA Schow. 

MLA Schow stated that since launching in 2023, the Every Kid Can Play program has supported more than 21,000 registrations for kids, giving them the opportunity to play sports and participate in recreational activities that they love and the Every Kid Can Play program has also supported more than 200 nonprofit organizations who provide affordable, high quality support programming for kids along with reduced financial pressures. 

“Sport is for everyone, and our government is working hard to ensure no child is forced to watch from the sidelines,” said MLA Schow. “The next generation will shape the future of our province. And when we are focusing on supporting them and providing them with the opportunity to live healthy active lives, we create a better tomorrow for Alberta.”

Kelly Oehlerking, Executive Director of KidSport Alberta, expressed ‘deep gratitude’ to the Government of Alberta and the Ministry of Tourism and Sport for their ongoing support of KidSport and stated that KidSport has been a proud partner of the ‘Every Kid Can Play’ program for the past two years. 

“Throughout the 2023-2024 grant alone, we distributed grants totaling $3.5 million in youth sport registration fees for families facing financial barriers,” said Oehlerking. “That means over 12,000 kids in Alberta had the chance to play, grow, and develop through sport.”

Sport, Oehlerking, is ‘not just about competition, it is also about confidence, community, and opportunity.’

“Thanks to the Government of Alberta’s renewed commitment to the Every Kid Can Play program, we can continue this critical work,” said Oehlerking. “The need for support has never been greater. We are seeing record numbers of applications from families struggling to afford support participation for their children. This funding ensures the cost is never the reason a child is left on the sidelines. On behalf of KidSport, our families and the thousands of children whose lives have been changed through the Every Kid Can Play program. Together we’re making sure that every child in Alberta gets the chance to play.”

Umair Ahad, Director of the Pamir Canadian Multicultural Council then shared on how the Every Kid Can Play program has benefited and helped him provide sport and recreation programming for his community.

“With the dedicated staff working behind the scenes, we were able to provide 285 children and youth, including newcomers, refugees, and local community members with access to affordable and inclusive sports programming,” said Ahad. 

“Through our weekly sports session, we saw firsthand how sports can transform children, not only develop their athletic skill, but also build confidence, friendship, and through sense of belonging. For many refugee and newcomer children, this program was their first opportunity to engage in structured sports, helping them integrate into their new community and feel welcomed by reducing financial barriers.  The Every Kid Can Play program has created a pathway for more children to stay active, healthy, and engaged. It has helped bridge gaps in accessibility and affordability, ensuring that no child is left on the sidelines. We are deeply grateful for the continued commitment of Alberta’s government to investing in our youth and fostering in inclusivity through sports.”

Finally, Sylvia Donley, guardian of a child who has benefited from the Every Kid Can Play Program, spoke about how the program helped her grandson, Aiden, who she has been raising alone after losing his mother in 2020 and her own husband in 2002. Donley explained that her family grew up with sports and sports got her through some very challenging times, but when she went to register Aiden to participate in sports, the current cost of registration brought her to tears. That, Donley says, is when she was made aware of the Every Kid Can Play program. That support, Donley says, made it possible for her to register Aiden in sports programs amidst challenging personal circumstances.

“I didn’t plan on being rear-ended five times. I didn’t plan on raising my grandson, but here we are, and there are many families with various circumstances that didn’t plan on being where they are,” said Donley. “The importance of sports for me goes beyond the exercise, the friendship. It’s the camaraderie that has been created brings out the best in these kids. It helps their self-esteem to grow. They learn how to win. They learn how to lose. It truly is a community for all the players and their families. “The Every Kid Can Play program opened doors for us, giving my grandson the opportunity to be involved in the sports he loves. I’m grateful that the Government of Alberta is working to make sport and recreation more accessible and affordable for all families across Alberta.”

MLA Schow then expressed gratitude to the families who were present to support the Every Kid Can Play program, the families who have benefited from this program directly, and also thanked KidSport Alberta for ‘being a partner in helping to change lives.’