OTTAWA, Ont. (June 3, 2022) – Canada Basketball on Thursday night launched a safe sport marketing and awareness campaign, as the organization continues its ongoing work to develop a positive sport experience for all participants across the country.

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With the Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, in attendance, the campaign debuted at halftime of the Ottawa BlackJacks-Scarborough Shooting Stars “Canada Basketball Night” at TD Place in Ottawa.

The campaign was made possible by Safety in Sport funding provided by Sport Canada.

“Canada Basketball remains steadfast in our commitment to delivering a safe and  inclusive sport environment for all participants – athletes, coaches, officials, administrators and volunteers,” said Michael Bartlett, President & CEO of Canada Basketball. “By highlighting interactions, situations and behaviour that is not acceptable or welcome in our sport, our goal is that through education, prevention and response, we can continue to deliver a safe basketball experience for all who love our game.”

“We can’t be in every gym,” Bartlett said.  “But we can hold every gym accountable.”

Canada Basketball’s Safe Sport framework is composed of three pillars – Education, Prevention, and Response – with each working collectively to prioritize the welfare, safety, and rights of every participant at all times by emphasizing collective responsibility and accountability.  Canada Basketball also believes that everyone has the right to enjoy the sport at whatever level or position they participate in an environment that is free of abuse, harassment, or maltreatment.

While basketball continues to be one of the fastest growing sports in Canada, creating, maintaining, and promoting a sport culture and environment that is empowering, positive, inclusive, and equitable for all participants is critical to not only maintaining this growth but driving even greater sport participation at all levels in the future.  

In developing the organization’s safe sport strategy and programming, Canada Basketball capitalized on the resources and leadership provided by the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC).

Earlier this year, Canada Basketball was one of 50 national organizations who pledged to become a program signatory of the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada’s (SDRCC) independent safe sport mechanism.

For additional information on safe sport, visit basketball.ca/safesport.