Overview

The Quest for Gold (QFG) program provides direct financial assistance to Ontario athletes so they can compete at the highest national and international levels.

Many Team Canada athletes from Ontario have benefitted from the program, including:

  • 2022 Winter Olympics: Ontario athletes comprised 28% of Team Canada, 84% of whom benefitted from QFG funding during their career
  • 2022 Winter Paralympics: Ontario athletes comprised 45% of Team Canada, 95% of whom benefitted from QFG during their career

Eligibility

An athlete must be:

  • an Ontario resident for one year prior to their nomination for carding status
  • a member of their provincial and multi-sport organization (PSO/MSO) and/or their national sport organization (NSO)

The one-year Ontario residency requirement is waived for any applicant who is a spouse or dependent of a regular force member of the Canadian Forces or a reservist currently deployed by the Canadian Forces into active service.

Athlete selection

Ontario Card

In 2023, Provincial Sport Organizations are receiving Ontario Card funding directly to support high-performance athletes through either:

  • direct support to individual athletes
  • high-performance programming operated by the PSO that meets the objectives of the Quest for Gold program

Individual athletes who receive direct support are selected by their PSO using sport-specific selection criteria developed by the PSO. Specific selection criteria can be obtained from each PSO.

Canada Card

Ontario athletes receiving a Sport Canada card are also eligible for Ontario’s Canada Card funding.

Canada’s top-ranked athletes from Ontario benefit annually and can receive an additional 35% in direct financial assistance over and above what they receive from Sport Canada.

Funding

The Quest for Gold program has invested more than $151 million in athletes since 2006.

The funding:

  • encourages athletes to live and train in Ontario
  • compensates athletes for earnings lost while training
  • helps athletes successfully pursue excellence in sport while fulfilling their educational goals
  • increases athlete access to high-performance coaching
  • enhances training and competitive opportunities available to athletes

List of recipients

Search through a list of athletes that received funding in 2022–23.