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Nova Scotia adds $5 million to sports budgets to increase access, diversity

Click to play video: 'Nova Scotia adds $5 million to sports budgets to increase access, diversity'
Nova Scotia adds $5 million to sports budgets to increase access, diversity
WATCH: Nova Scotia adds $5 million to sports budgets to increase access, diversity – Mar 20, 2021

Nova Scotia’s Liberal government is funding $5 million in measures aimed at making sports more inclusive, as well as more accessible to people with disabilities.

Premier Iain Rankin announced on Saturday the funding includes $2 million in added funding for KidSport, a program that provides grants to help cover the costs of sport registration and equipment fees.

There is also $2 million to increase access to recreation facilities and improve the availability of accessible equipment across the province, along with $500,000 for Sport Nova Scotia’s ParaSport program.

Paul Tingley, five-time Paralympian and ParaSport NS coordinator, is seen on March 20, 2021. Alexa MacLean / Global News
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The province says the investments “focus on removing barriers for those who want to participate in community and competitive sport but haven’t been able to because of ability, limited equipment, funding or programming.”

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The funding will also provide $500,000 to improve equity in coaching, with new programs for women, Mi’kmaq, African Nova Scotians and those who coach people with physical and intellectual disabilities.

The province estimates almost 150,000 Nova Scotians are currently members of an organized sports programs, and there are about 1,200 coaches supporting those programs.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 20, 2021.

Click to play video: 'Lacrosse N.S. introducing sport to African Nova Scotian youth'
Lacrosse N.S. introducing sport to African Nova Scotian youth

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