Athlete Assistance Program

The Athlete Assistance Program (AAP) is a sport funding program that contributes to the pursuit of excellence. AAP support seeks to relieve some of the financial pressures associated with preparing for and participating in international sport and assists high-performance Canadian athletes to combine their sport and academic or working careers while training intensively in pursuit of world-class performances.

Eligibility details

Normally, only athletes from those sports whose high performance programs are funded through the Sport Funding and Accountability Framework (SFAF). Athletes from non-SFAF sports can, however, access AAP support if their performance is in the top 16 at the World Championships, Olympics, or Paralympics in an event of the program of the upcoming Olympic or Paralympic Games.

To be eligible to be considered for support through the AAP, an athlete must:

• be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada;
• adhere to their athlete/NSO agreement requirements;
• meet the eligibility requirement of the sport’s international federation as they pertain to citizenship and residency status and be available to represent Canada at major international events, including World Championships, Olympic and Paralympic Games; and
• meet the carding criteria as a member of the Canadian Team at international events or in domestic events or events sanctioned by the NSO for his/her sport.

Athletes are usually required to live and train in Canada. Assistance for athletes living and training outside Canada may be approved by Sport Canada, if justified by the NSO for academic or athletic reasons.

What you need before you start

To apply to this program, you need to contact your National Sport Organization for application forms and related information. Please read carefully section 6, "Application for and Approval of Cards", of the AAP Policies and Procedures.

Contact us

For more information about the Athlete Assistance Program, contact us.