Amateur and junior sports leagues and teams across B.C. sharing in $11M in COVID relief money

$11M to help sports survive

Photo: Wayne Moore/file

Seventy-two B.C. based or owned amateur and junior sports leagues and teams will share in $11 million in COVID-19 relief funding from the provincial government.

The announcement was made Tuesday morning by Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport minister Melanie Mark.

Mark says the one-time funding grant is designed to assist leagues and teams recover financial losses through the loss of ticket revenue, memberships and corporate sponsorships as a result of the pandemic.

The list of teams and leagues includes B.C.-based Western Hockey League teams, junior football, and provincial curling, minor hockey, wheelchair basketball, soccer, boxing, badminton and baseball leagues to name a few, across the province.

"We are pleased to see this investment in amateur sport and glad to partner in the distribution of these grants," said Charlene Krepiakevich, CEO, viaSport.

"In communities around the province, amateur sport leagues, teams, coaches and supporters foster the development of our B.C. athletes. This funding will help ensure that the amateur sport system pulls through the pandemic so that our athletes can play another day and sport can continue to be an integral part of the economic and social fabric of our communities."

Organized sports were shut down for the better part of a year or more as a result of the pandemic.

Those that were able to play, at least partially, did so without spectators.

Many sports are gearing up for the potential return of fans later this year.

Click here for a complete list of 72 team and league funding recipients.

There's no word as to when the funds will be made available.