Amateur athletics in Canada gets very little recognition, and seemingly less funding.
In an Olympic year like 2008, that is inexcusable. Despite the national tendency to doom and gloom there is a glimmer of hope.


Canada’s better than expected showing at the Beijing Olympics, coupled with Chantal
Petitclerc’s three world records and five gold medals at this years Paralympics has
boosted interest in amateur athletics. It would be a good time to springboard that into some additional income.


There is a movement among Canadian municipalities to have the federal government
return 1% of GST or gas tax revenue to cities for infrastructure. A similar thing could be done for amateur sport.


Allocating 1% of the GST levied on pro sporting tickets to Canada's amateur athletes and organisations would be a win fall. According to a 2006 study by Forbes magazine, the average ticket price for a Toronto Maple Leafs hockey game is $70.00 A single game at Air Canada Centre would generate $13 160.00 The Leafs’ 41 home games alone could bring in $539, 560.00

Factor in five more NHL teams, the CFL, AHL, and the Toronto Raptors that is a
significant, steady revenue source. The beauty of it is that there is already an established collection system in place. The current bureaucratic system would need minor shuffling to distribute the funds but that is far better than creating yet another government department that doesn’t know its assets from its tennis elbows.

This proposal is a win, win situation. Ordinary citizens don't have to pay extra, businesses don't lose any cash, and the government still gets a cut.