The Change the Game Research Project, the largest study of its kind in Canada, has provided new insights on the impact of COVID-19 on sport and play-related access, barriers, and equity factors. Between March-May 2021, the MLSE Foundation and the University of Toronto engaged nearly 7000 youth and their parents from across Ontario to learn about returning to play and how different communities and sports have been impacted by the pandemic. 

Key barriers to returning to play included affordability and access, with youth from lower-income families and those living in rural or remote areas having less opportunities to continue participating in sport. Further, racism was identified as a clear issue in sport: more than 1 in 3 Black youth, 1 in 4 Indigenous youth, and 1 in 5 BIPOC youth reported having directly experienced racism in sport. This, along with other important findings from youth and parents, highlighted the need to develop cultures of representation and inclusion that are supported by policies and processes. Finally, the researchers recommend ways to develop return to play and post-pandemic plans centered around the reasons why youth play, including fun, safety and social connection. 

You can find the full report here, and access the infographic overview here. More information on building inclusive sport cultures through our Respect in Sport programs can be found here. 

Reference:

MLSE Foundation, Change the Game Research: A study focused on sport access, engagement, and equity factors in the wake of the pandemic, (July 2021).