For many, Canada is deemed as a “leading sport nation,” according to the Government of Canada. But even within its diverse sports scene, inaccessibility remains a steadfast concern among those who are trying to get into the action. From the lack of opportunities to the hefty cost of equipment, it is getting increasingly hard for people to access sports. 

In 2024, three quarters of Canadian adults aged 18 years and older did not participate in sport, as reported by the Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute. Various Canadian groups and charities are actively trying to find solutions to these barriers. Whether it’s through new programs, like run clubs, or creating affordable gear by cutting marketing costs, their end goal is to create spaces where athletes of today and tomorrow can thrive.   

Zechariah Thomas, founder and CEO of Swift Hockey, said growing up among the strong hockey culture in Oshawa, Ont. made it easy to fall in love with the sport.

When it came time to purchase new hockey gear, he said the price would always be a concern for him and his teammates. Equipment can be a significant barrier in entering hockey due to its high costs and the volume of gear required. A full set of mid-range equipment alone, including skates, a helmet, shoulder pads, gloves, pants and hockey sticks, can easily exceed $1,000. 

He always believed the unaffordability of the sport pulled people away from the game. A 2023 study by Hockey Canada found, “the average annual cost to play minor hockey at the competitive level surpassed $5,000 per player, with some families paying upwards of $10,000.” The costs of the sport come down to equipment, ice time and rink maintenance, coaching and league fees and travel costs, which are demands that other sports like soccer don’t require. An article from The Etownian explained that soccer is, “the most accessible sport in the world. Amateurs can play it easily because all that is needed is a ball and two goal posts.” 

Thomas said he believes high costs contribute to lack of diversity in his sport. “[The price of equipment] is obviously why we don’t see a lot of different demographics in hockey,” he said. “[It’s] definitely the major impact on why hockey is not really where it should be, in my opinion.”

When the COVID-19 pandemic came around, Thomas’ hockey season came to an abrupt halt. But all that time allowed him to steer his attention towards a new business venture: Swift Hockey, a company that sells customizable hockey sticks at affordable prices. 

“COVID started something within me. I didn’t have hockey anymore, so I kind of turned all the way to [Swift Hockey] and kept that going from there,” said Thomas.

With the desire to introduce hockey to younger audiences, Thomas said it was also important for Swift Hockey to donate a portion of their proceeds from every stick sale to various programs and to support underprivileged youth across the country. 

“[Giving back] is something that I always want to do…And that’s definitely the most important thing, is where we have a lot of people reaching out and asking for items, we want to give back to people,” he said. 

As he looks to the future, Thomas and his team are toying with the idea of expanding into ringette and lacrosse, sports that have also been riddled with inaccessible equipment. As of 2023, prices of lacrosse starter gear have ranged between $200 to $400 for items like sticks, helmets and appendage pads. Thomas said he hopes the growth of Swift Hockey and those sports can flourish in tandem. 

“[Kids] may want to play lacrosse, they want to play hockey, they want to play ringette, but understanding the cost of what it takes to get there is just not feasible. Most parents can definitely make a soccer season work, but getting in some of the other sports, it’s not something possible,” he said. 

Like Swift Hockey, many other groups are leveraging sports as a way to guide youth to reach their full potential. 

Since 2014, community-based basketball program Lay-Up has helped young people succeed in athletics by providing cost-free programming designed to develop the skills they need on the court and beyond. 

Regional manager John Gerongco said Lay-Up serves as a “home away from home” for their players. 

When highlighting the current challenges in basketball, Gerongco said the location of a sporting venue and lack of transportation may be a hindrance for many people who dream of playing at a competitive level.

Gerongco expressed how imperative it is  to have numerous Lay-Up programs operating across the Greater Toronto Area. 

“Many basketball teams travel forever to be able to play a tournament or [preparatory] system today,” Gerongco said. “We’re somewhere the families can get to without having to have kids get on the TTC or have to be driven somewhere, especially with how sports is just usually at odd hours of the night sometimes.”

International e-commerce company Picodi found that Toronto has one of the most expensive public transit fares in the world when it comes to the price of monthly transit passes, with the prices of a pass reaching up to $156.

Gerongco highlighted how Lay-Up is, “more than just dribbling a basketball up and down the court,” but also imparts leadership opportunities that can help youth as they embark on new endeavours, whether that’s in sports or in other fields. 

Sports within community leagues rely on people who do “behind the scenes” tasks like managing and structuring games, and overseeing registration and marketing, according to Gerongco. “Those are all jobs that a lot of young athletes don’t really think about that’s accessible to them at an earlier stage.”

Similarly, The Kickback Foundation runs youth events and programs that intersect with sports, education and the arts. 

Tara Magloire, the program manager for Kickback, shared how the non-profit supplies running and hiking shoes for their annual trips and clubs. By providing those resources, Magloire said she hopes athletes can step into new sports while feeling comfortable in their own skin. 

She expressed how the shoes helped athletes achieve their goals—some athletes even exceeding their initial expectations. 

“Youth were showing up in Crocs, in [Air] Jordans, in flip flops, but they were still running the distances we provided each week. It didn’t stop them from doing the thing, but we knew and recognized that those who kept coming back could always go further,” Magloire said. “Maybe they could run their first 5K, maybe they could run their first half marathon or full marathon, if given the right pair of shoes.” 

She also recognizes accessibility in athletics is not limited to introducing a newcomer to a sport—it’s equally important to ensure they feel secure enough to stay and progress in it. She said the Kickback team does their best to foster a safe environment that can “alleviate strain.” 

“If you are a beginner, the scariest thing is the first day. If the right words are tuned in that day, if you’re meeting them where they’re at, they may come back next week,” said Magloire. 

By curating these programs, she said she hopes young athletes can sustain their vigour for their sport for as long as possible; she said she hopes to see them play on the professional stage one day. 

To inspire them, Magloire said Kickback has provided opportunities for youth to attend games and tournaments, and even connect them with professional athletes whose careers they can emulate with hard work and dedication. 

“If you just have a day to meet someone who is already on the path that you’re envisioning for yourself, you actually have a roadmap for things you can do to get there…you just never really knew or they could be a Canadian success story, and that’s something you dream for yourself,” Magloire said.