The Stoll Report On

CANADIAN SPORT EVENT FUNDING

Report Overview

The concept for this Canadian-specific report stemmed from a similar report produced for the US Market by me and co-author and researcher Dr. Blake Price in 2022. As we collected data and wrote meaningful analysis covering trends in the US market, we began to look at the increased globalization of sport and the eyes around the world on North America for events such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup and realized the story is broader than just the 50 United States.

That led us to partner with highly respected and national leader in the Canadian sport tourism industry, Grant MacDonald to explore the efficacy of a Canadian version of the report. Blue sky conversations about how this work might benefit Canadian delegates and countless hours later, this report was born.

The report dives into elements such as historical timeline, competitive analysis, funding sources, recent activity, return-on-investment, and more. However, it is truly our purest hope that the data presented here would not only aid in gleaning insights about Canadian event funding, but more importantly provide a purposeful tool to drive action among your organizations.

In partnership with Sport Tourism Canada.

Included in the Report

Key Findings

There is no shortage of information in this report! But we’ve made it easy for you by distilling it all down to key findings giving you a leg-up on your knowledge and understanding.

Province/Territory Snapshots

Curious about a specific province or territory’s fund or want to keep up with your competitive set? Wouldn’t it be nice if that information was all in one place? We thought so, too.

Perfect Parameters

Deciding what funds should and should not be used for is vital. We’ve got a pulse on fund parameters and how they impact your event recruitment and competitive position.

How to Measure ROI

It’s one thing to have a event fund. But knowing if it’s achieving its intended outcome is another. We’ll walk you through how to evaluate your fund’s ROI.

Comparative Funding

It is important to understand the global event funding landscape at all levels, paying particular attention to countries recognized for their successful initiatives and/or those who are within Canada’s competitive set.

Historical Timeline

Sport Tourism Canada has grown from 18 founding members to over 500 members including 200+ municipalities, 250+ national and provincial sport organizations, 20+ educational institutions, and a variety of product and service suppliers to the industry.

WHAT INDUSTRY LEADERS ARE SAYING

“On behalf of Sport Events Congress 2023, I wanted to express our sincerest gratitude for your participation as a guest speaker at our recent event. Your contribution was invaluable, and we received numerous positive comments from attendees about your breakout session and overall content. We are deeply grateful for your participation and for sharing your knowledge with us. Your contribution to the success of the event was immeasurable, and we hope to have the opportunity to work with you again in the future.”

"The sport tourism sector is at a crossroads in Canada and the biggest enabler to the impact of sport events is a clear funding model. I was pleased to join Jennifer and Blake in examining the current state of sport event funding in Canada, building on their industry-leading research from The Stoll Report on State-Level Funding in the US. This report will hopefully spark a national conversation on funding for sport events that deliver immediate impacts and long-term legacies in every province and territory, 52 weeks every year."

Provincial, territorial and municipal funding for sporting events is a major topic in the sports event and tourism industry impacting destinations of all sizes and rights holders seeking event hosting support. The information assembled in this report is extensive, timely and valuable and Sport Tourism Canada was fortunate to have Dr. Jennifer Stoll and Grant MacDonald present their findings at STC's Sport Events Congress 2023. We are pleased to partner with them in sharing this valuable resource and advocacy tool with our membership.

Sport Tourism Canada is pleased to partner with both Dr. Jennifer Stoll and Grant McDonald in the release of this report. As sport funding tends to be different for each province within Canada, it is incredibly helpful and important to have this information all within one document. They have done a fantastic job in providing a clearer picture with the hopes of working toward more of a unified approach for sport tourism funding within Canada.

Welcome to the first edition of The Stoll Report on Canadian Sport Event Funding! The purpose behind this research is to bring you up to speed on everything you need to know about the rapidly changing landscape of Canada’s event procurement funds while simultaneously serving as an advocacy tool for your organization.

Need a Deeper Dive?

Stoll Strategies conducts event fund evaluation, consulting, presentations to community and state leaders and stakeholders, competitive analyses, state-level event fund program strategy, event procurement assistance, market optimization analyses, feasibility reports and more. Our work is always completed with the highest level of integrity, confidentiality, research methodology, and deliverables.