The Government of Canada announced a major investment in sport on Monday as part of the 2021 budget, with new funding initiatives aimed to help grow sport in Canada with a focus on inclusiveness and increased access.

The new funding will help support inclusive, accessible and local sport participation across the country. It will also provide relief for COVID-19 recovery efforts in the Canadian sport community and promote sport for social development in Indigenous communities.

"These investments will help develop sport and ensure sport's many physical and mental benefits are felt by more Canadians," said the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee in a joint statement released Monday.

"This funding will lead to direct sport-related initiatives that contribute to building healthy and inclusive communities throughout Canada."

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The COC and CPC expressed gratitude for the investment and what it meant for future access and participation.

"[The government's] confidence in the national sport community will allow us to re-introduce Canadians to sport so that once it's safe to return to our rinks, pools, courts, and fields more Canadians will have access than ever before," said the COC and CPC.

The committees will work with Minister of Canadian Heritage Steven Guilbeault and Parliamentary Secretary for Sport Adam van Koeverden to ensure that Canadians from all communities will benefit from the government investment. Funding figures for the investment were not released.

"The national sport community, with the support of the Government of Canada, is ready to focus on an inclusive return to sport. We are confident that this investment, paired with the leadership from Canada's National Sport Organizations, Multisport Services Organizations, and Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institutes, will play an important role in Canada's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic."