Photographed: Sarah Bokhari, Executive Assistant to the Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier, MPP Lorne Coe (Whitby) and Myles Spencer, CEO, Rugby Ontario

Whitby, ON (August 14, 2023) – On Sunday, August 13^th, 2023, as Rugby Ontario held its annual youth rugby minor festival at Victoria Fields, it also took the time to acknowledge the impact of a $150,000 Resilient Communities Fund grant that it received from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) in 2022.

“Our government has embarked on many initiatives to boost sports. Funding Rugby Ontario through OTF helps community building through diversity, equity, and inclusion,” said Lorne Coe MPP for Whitby and the Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier. “A healthy sports culture reflects a healthy community.”

Since receiving the grant, it has been used to support the development and introduction of Rugby Ontario’s “Build Belonging Project” – an initiative designed to increase rugby participation amongst equity-deserving groups in Ontario through a community-driven approach to enhancing inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility practices (IDEA) across the organization and throughout rugby clubs across the province. Funds from the grant were used to help with a number of costs, ranging from staffing, working with professionals on diversity, equity and inclusion, research and marketing strategies, provide training, and to help with equipment rentals and purchases, as well as some administrative costs too.

“On behalf of Rugby Ontario, I would like to thank the Government of Ontario and the Ontario Trillium Foundation for supporting our organization and the rugby community in Ontario,” said Myles Spencer, CEO of Rugby Ontario. “The funds have directly supported our rebuilding and recovery from the impacts of the pandemic, which significantly disrupted our ability to support and serve communities, particularly those most under-represented across Ontario. We have built back better and are driving meaningful change in how we lead, support and promote the sport of rugby.”

Rugby Ontario’s vision of “Rugby for All” is a statement that captures its collective purpose, what it strives for, and what it hopes to achieve – capturing the essence of what makes rugby one of the most appealing, accessible and inclusive sporting activities. Rugby Ontario is focused on cultivating a culture of “Rugby for All” and building better alignment from community to club to province. It aims to create a more cohesive, supportive and progressive sporting environment that is responsive to the needs of all members.

To learn more about Rugby Ontario, visit our website.  To locate your local rugby club, check the Club Locator tool, or contact us at info@rugbyontario.com. 

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations celebrates 40 years of grant-making in Ontario and making a lasting impact in communities. Last year, OTF invested over $110M into 1,022 community projects and partnerships. Visit otf.ca to learn more.

Rugby Ontario is the provincial sport governing body responsible for the organization of rugby in Ontario. Our mission is to lead, support and promote Rugby for All from communities to clubs to province. We respectfully acknowledge the sport of Rugby is played across the Province of Ontario on the ancestral and unceded territories of Inuit, Metis and First Nations peoples.  We honour, recognize, and respect all Indigenous Peoples as the traditional stewards of the lands on which we play.

For media inquiries, please contact: 

Samantha Tinajero-Alvarado

Coordinator, Digital Media & Communications

stinajero@rugbyontario.com

Tel: 647-560-4790 ext. 1006