Saskatchewan Program for Athletic Excellence

Athletes nominated and accepted for carding status under Sport Canada’s Athlete Assistance Program (AAP), and meet all the following criteria:

1. Athlete must be training in Saskatchewan, exceptions will be made providing that the athlete can substantiate one of the following:
   1. The athlete is training out of province as part of a formal NSO-sanctioned training program.
   2. That the athlete cannot receive the required level of training in Saskatchewan and as a result has relocated out of the province (Ex. Due to lack of facilities, coaching, competition, national team requirements).
   3. That the athlete is attending a post–secondary institution out-of-province.
   4. Other extenuating circumstances that require the athlete to be out of the province.
2. The athlete must be able to demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the Canadian Sport Centre Saskatchewan, they are a product of the Saskatchewan sport system. Evidence of this would be a significant and/or relevant portion of their sport development occurred while a primary resident of Saskatchewan.
3. Athlete must not be under a sanction that prohibits competition as per the Canadian
   Anti-Doping Policy.
4. Athlete must not receive financial support from any other provincial/territorial athlete assistance program. This does not include academic scholarships, bursaries, student grants, student loans, social assistance, disability pensions, and other forms of financial assistance that are unrelated to competitive sport.

1. How are athletes considered for Saskatchewan Program for Athletic Excellence eligibility?

• Saskatchewan athletes who have been nominated and accepted for funding through Sport Canada’s AAP will be considered.
• The onus is on the athlete to prove that he/she meets the overall eligibility criteria.

2. How much funding is an athlete eligible for?

Saskatchewan Program for Athletic Excellence will provide up to an additional third in funding over and above the funding received from Sport Canada’s AAP, to a maximum of $7,060. Example: An athlete receiving a SR Card ($21,180) from Sport Canada they will be eligible to receive up to $7,060. An athlete receiving a D Card ($12,720) from Sport Canada they will be eligible to receive up to $4,240.

3. What are the eligible expenditures for Saskatchewan Program for Athletic Excellence funding?

The following items are eligible under Saskatchewan Program for Athletic Excellence:

• Standard living costs (Ex. rent/mortgage, utilities, groceries, medical expenses etc.)
• Costs directly associated with training (Ex. coaching, sport science, facility fees, other athlete services)
• Sport-specific equipment
• Costs associated with attending training camps and competitions (Ex. entry fees, travel costs)
• Education related expenses excluding tuition (Ex. books, fees)

4. What is the Application Process and Deadline?

• Athletes will apply based on your sport’s carding cycle for Sport Canada’s Athlete Assistance Program. As an example, athletes whose carding is determined on February 1 will be eligible for full funding between February of the current year of carding until January of the following year.
• Athletes must complete their application and submit all required documentation within two months of the start of their Sport Canada carding cycle for their sport (please check with Sport Canada or your NSO if you are unsure of the carding cycle for your sport).
• To qualify, completed applications must be postmarked on or before the deadline and sent to the address below.
• The application form must be completed in full.

5. Application Commitment

• The terms and conditions of the Saskatchewan Program for Athletic Excellence require athlete recipients to retain all records and documents related to the grant (Ex. Receipts) for a three-year period and must make them available for inspection by the Canadian Sport Centre Saskatchewan (CSCS) when requested. However, the CSCS will not be requesting receipts from carded athletes on an ongoing basis.
• Athletes awarded Saskatchewan Program for Athletic Excellence funding agree to the unrestricted use of their name, hometown, image and list of accomplishments, without charge, in Saskatchewan Program for Athletic Excellence promotional materials, broadcasts, press releases and other communications and publications issued by the CSCS and partners.
• They also agree to represent Saskatchewan in a positive manner, and to publicly declare support received through Saskatchewan Program for Athletic Excellence.
• The athlete may be asked to make a public appearance in support of the CSCS or CSCS partners at a mutually agreeable time.

6. Are Saskatchewan Program for Athletic Excellence grants considered “income” under the Federal Income Tax Act?

Athletes who receive a Saskatchewan Program for Athletic Excellence grant will not be issued a T4A form.

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has advised that the benefits received from programs similar to the Saskatchewan Program for Athletic Excellence are generally to be received by recipient’s tax free within the meaning of the Federal Income Tax Act.

However, we encourage athletes to investigate their own personal tax situation. Athletes can contact the CRA at 1.800.267.6999 or at canada.ca/en/revenue-agency.html

7. Illness, Injury, or Pregnancy
Sport Canada’s policy regarding illness, injury, or pregnancy will apply insofar as it impacts the athlete’s eligibility for Sport Canada’s AAP and, as a result, the athlete’s eligibility for Saskatchewan Program for Athletic Excellence status. Questions related to an athlete’s Sport Canada carding status in cases of illness, injury, or pregnancy should be referred firstly to an athlete’s National Sport Organization (NSO).

8. National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Eligibility
It is the CSCS’s general understanding that the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) stipulates that any athlete who accepts direct funding from a provincial or state government run program will forfeit their eligibility for an NCAA scholarship and their eligibility to participate in that sport or to participate in a non-scholarship NCAA sport.

The onus is entirely on the athlete to determine the impact of accepting Saskatchewan Program for Athletic Excellence funding with respect to current or future NCAA scholarship eligibility and deciding whether or not to accept Saskatchewan Program for Athletic Excellence funding. The athlete is required to acknowledge this when signing the Saskatchewan Program for Athletic Excellence application form and agreeing to the related terms and conditions of the program.

The CSCS accepts no responsibility for any consequences that may follow, or losses that may be sustained in connection with an athlete’s eligibility or ineligibility for a NCAA scholarship, or in connection with an athlete’s eligibility or ineligibility to complete in a non-scholarship NCAA sport.

The NCAA Eligibility Centre may be contacted at: www.ncaa.org
NCAA Eligibility Centre, P.O. Box 7110, Indianapolis, IN 46207
877-262-1492

9. Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act
The personal information that you provide on this form and any attachments will be used for the purpose of determining your eligibility for the Saskatchewan Program for Athletic Excellence and the promotion of the program.