2018 YEAR IN REVIEW PARALYMPIC FOUNDATION OF CANADA YEAR IN REVIEW PARALYMPIC FOUNDATION OF CANADA 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Message from the Chair and Director 3 Year at a Glance 4-5 Impact Study 6 Association Québécoise de sports pour paralytiques cérébraux 7 The Steadward Bears Para Athletic Program 9 ParaTough Cup 11 Thank You 12 Financial Snapshot 13 Meet the Team 14 NEXT YEAR IN REVIEW PARALYMPIC FOUNDATION OF CANADA 2 MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR AND DIRECTOR By all accounts, 2018 was a great year for Closer to home and at the community we can inspire a nation. Together, we can the Paralympic Movement in Canada. level, we’re seeing great strides in ensure that there are truly no limits. the knowledge and understanding of At the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in the Paralympic Movement. Though As Christopher Reeve once said, “So many PyeongChang, South Korea, our athletes our Foundation is relatively new – of our dreams at first seem impossible, brought home an impressive 28 medals, established in 2015 – the support from then they seem improbable, and then, when including eight gold – a new record for Canadians across the country has been we summon the will, they soon become Canada at the Paralympics. strong. inevitable.” Canadians watched with pride as opening The fact remains, however, that for Thank you for your continued support. ceremony flag bearer and Para nordic star many of the estimated one in five Brian McKeever became the country’s Canadians with a disability, sport is still most decorated Winter Paralympian after not accessible and available. Barriers winning his 14th career medal at the still exist where they should not. But Games. He finished the Games with three with your help, we are confident that gold medals and a bronze medal, for a can change so that Canadians with a career total 17 medals — 13 of those gold disability can clearly see themselves at — making him also the most decorated the start line. Paralympic cross-country skier ever. By creating more opportunities for Mark Arendz, another Para nordic skier, Canadians with a disability to be active set a Canadian single Winter Games in sport in their communities and record, winning six medals – five in empowering those with the drive and Jim Westlake Dean Brokop individual pursuits and one team relay talent to compete on the world stage, BOARD CHAIR DIRECTOR The Canadian Paralympic Team enters the stadium for the Opening Ceremony of the PyeongChang 2018 medal. Paralympic Winter Games. YEAR IN REVIEW PARALYMPIC FOUNDATION OF CANADA 3 YEAR AT A GLANCE ImagiNation launch in Toronto Opening Ceremony Chubb Insurance JANUARY 25 Party With a Celebrating the launch of MARCH 9 Para-Purpose ImagiNation, a historic $10 The PyeongChang 2018 million initiative supporting Para Paralympic Winter SEPTEMBER 12 sport, we invited guests to join Games kicked off! We In Vancouver, Chubb us for an official launch. Special didn’t know it then, but Insurance’s end-of-summer guests Canadian Tire Jumpstart Canadian athletes were soiree celebrated all things Para athletics’ Marissa Papaconstantinou (left) and Elodie Charities and Pfizer Canada came on their way to history at Tessier of wheelchair basketball are joined by Paralympic Para sport – and raised on board as the first two lead these Games. Foundation of Canada board member Marc-André Fabien money for the Foundation cappaign partners, adding to their The Canadian Paralympic Team enters the stadium (right) and CBC Sports’ Scott Russell. in the process. longstanding commitments to the for the Opening Ceremony of the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games. Paralympic Movement. 2nd annual Toronto ImagiNation Year One ParaTough Cup celebration on Parliament Hill FEBRUARY 21 JUNE 6 As a way to thank our supporters and celebrate $2.1 million pledged to date – plus a $1 million match from the Government of Canada, we took to Parliament Hill to recognize how the ImagiNation campaign is making a difference in the future of Para sports. The Hon. Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport, was among The second ParaTough Cup was held at the University of those celebrating the first year of the ImagiNation initiative on Toronto Athletic Centre. Parliament Hill. YEAR IN REVIEW PARALYMPIC FOUNDATION OF CANADA 4 YEAR AT A GLANCE - CONTINUED Inaugural Vancouver Paralympic spotlight at ParaTough Cup YPO event in Banff NOVEMBER 23 SEPTEMBER 13 Known for his investing and entrepreneurial prowess (not to mention his time spent as a Dragon on CBC’s Dragons’ Den), W. Brett Wilson showed off his passion for Para sport, inviting eight Paralympians to the YPO Conference which brings together young chief executives. Joining Brett was Michelle Salt, Viviane Forest, Brian McKeever, Carrie Anton, Ross Wilson, Alister McQueen, Mark Arendz Current and former Paralympians joined W. Brett Wilson in Banff. and Lauren Woolstencroft. ParaTough Cup was held at the Richmond Olympic Oval, with eight teams competing for the trophy. nd 2 annual Montreal President’s Reception Fall Campaign ParaTough Cup AUGUST 29 NOVEMBER 1 NOVEMBER 15 Canadian Paralympic Committee We launched our Fall fundraising Paralympic veterans Cindy Ouellet and President and Paralympic campaign, urging people across Caroline Viau welcomed 14 teams to Foundation of Canada board the country to help Canadians with Montreal’s second ParaTough Cup. member Marc-André Fabien a disability to get in the game. The As emcees, the pair shared many celebrated the summer and Para response was overwhelming as we stories of sport and perseverance with sport by hosting an intimate received hundreds of messages the participants. Thanks to donors, gathering at his home. We’re of support and financial donations supporters and sponsors, more than grateful for the support with nearly from Canadians in each province. $93,000 was raised to support Para $50,000 raised to support the ParaTough Cup was held at McGill University, with 14 corporate teams sport across Canada! Foundation! competing for the prize. YEAR IN REVIEW PARALYMPIC FOUNDATION OF CANADA 5 NEXT GENERATION IMPACT STUDY WITH ATHLETES KEELY SHAW AND SANDRINE HAMEL While many Canadians turn their attention Throughout the 2017-2018 fiscal year, the “Because of funding, we got to have a every four years to the Paralympic Games, the Paralympic Foundation of Canada granted NextGen coach,” Sandrine said. “Because road to the podium begins much earlier for $800,000 to the Canadian Paralympic of that, the coach we had is the one who Canadian Para athletes. Through grants to the Committee to support Next Generation recruited me. It’s because of him that I got to Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC), the grants to National Sport Organizations, the Games. He was at the top of the course Paralympic Foundation of Canada is committed strengthening the Paralympic Movement with me at the race.” to supporting the development of a sustainable from communities all the way to the Paralympic sport system so that Canadians Paralympic podium. Keely first became interested in road cycling with a disability are given the opportunity to as a hobby while spending a summer choose sport and to become athletes. These grants helped “NextGen” athletes like in London, Ontario. When she returned In March, Keely Shaw competed in her first ever Sandrine Hamel and Keely Shaw. to her home province of Saskatchewan, international event: the Para Cycling Track World Championships in Rio De Janeiro. After all: winning the race begins with Keely took her cycling to the track and ensuring that every single Canadian can Sandrine was born with a double major began working with Bruce Craven, a local horse, has exceeded expectations. In her imagine themselves at the start line, scoliosis. During corrective surgery, her right Sport Physiotherapist and Strength and international race debut at the 2018 track regardless of ability. leg was paralyzed. Determined to not let her Conditioning Coach. With access to high world championships in Rio de Janeiro, she disability stop her, Sandrine competed in performance equipment and specialist placed fifth in the Individual pursuit and beat sports with her able-bodied peers for years. “The coaching she was soon ready to compete on her previous personal best. A few months first time I learned about Para sport was when I the world stage with a Team Canada jersey on. later, at a World Cup in the Netherlands, she started competing in Para snowboarding three earned a silver medal. years ago,” she said. “I didn’t even know that “It was absolutely unreal,” Keely told a snowboarding was a Para sport.” Weyburn, Sask. newspaper. “It took a long She may be one of the national team’s time to realize it wasn’t just a dream, it was newest members, but she already shows NextGen program funding helped Sandrine’s actually happening.” great potential and is ready to take her Para snowboarding reach a new level – and cycling career as far as it will go. quickly. At just age 21, she made her In her first full year in Cycling Canada’s Para Sanrdine Hamel competes in Para snowboard at the Paralympic debut at the PyeongChang 2018 Cycling Next Generation program, Keely, “I’ve earned that maple leaf on my jersey,” 2018 Paralympic Games in PyeongChang. Paralympic Winter Games. who acquired her injury after falling off a she said. YEAR IN REVIEW PARALYMPIC FOUNDATION OF CANADA 6 ASSOCIATION QUÉBÉCOISE DE SPORTS POUR PARALYTIQUES CÉRÉBRAUX MONTREAL, QUEBEC Boccia, a sport of focus and precision, was originally designed ABOUT BOCCIA for people with cerebral palsy but has expanded and now welcomes players with a wide variety of disabilities. Boccia is played indoors on a flat, smooth surface. The players propel leather balls (six per competitor) as close as possible to As Quebec’s governing body for boccia, Through funding received in 2018, the a white target ball (called the “jack”) on a the Association Québécoise de sports AQSPC focused on growing the game, long, narrow field of play.