Game On, Canada
A Path for Canada’s National Sport System Transformation
- The status quo of Canada’s national sport system is unsustainable:
Flat federal funding, rising costs, and expanding governance and delivery expectations are pushing many National Sport Organizations (NSOs) toward persistent deficits and eroding their ability to deliver core sport programs. - Efficiency through shared services is a catalyst for reform: Centralizing common administrative and back-office functions reduces duplication, strengthens governance, and enables better data and decision‑making, allowing NSOs to refocus on safe and inclusive sport delivery and athlete outcomes.
- Now is the time to act: A shared services model provides an immediate solution to stabilize NSO operations while laying the foundation for long-term transformation and a stronger, more sustainable Canadian sport system.
Canada’s national sport system stands at an inflection point.
National Sport Organizations (NSOs) are being asked to deliver more with less – safer, more inclusive, and more competitive sport programs while operating with flat funding and rising compliance demands. Without structural change, the gap between governance expectations and organizational capacity will continue to widen, pushing many NSOs to their financial brink and negatively impacting sport for all Canadians. In the Canadian Olympic Committee’s 2024 Budget Request, Deloitte reported that financial reserves for several NSOs are forecast to be depleted by 2027 and more than 90% of NSOs are projected to operate at a deficit by 2028, resulting in a collective sector shortfall of $134M.1
Canada’s national sport system is falling behind, with stagnant funding constraining NSOs’ ability to keep pace with leading global standards for safety, inclusion, and performance. While incremental fixes may ease short term pressure, lasting impact will come from collective, system level action that unlocks capacity and modernizes how Canadian national sport is supported and governed.
A shared services model offers a practical path forward to unlock efficiency, strengthen governance, and enable the system-wide transformation needed to keep Canadian sport sustainable, competitive, and a source of national unity.
Deloitte is ready to work with governments, NSOs, and sport ecosystem partners to help turn this vision into reality.
The time to act is now.
