Renew and increase CCRP funding
Petitioners ask the Government of Canada to renew and boost CCRP funding to expand or replace recreation facilities in West Coast, Port Alberni, Oceanside. The government responds funds are allocated and cites Budget 2025’s Build Communities Strong Fund.
Why we would sign this petition
- Restores and increases capital so communities can expand or replace local recreation facilities, improving program access.
- Improved facilities would support physical and mental health, workplace rehabilitation and could lower healthcare and social service costs as claimed.
- Directly targets gaps on the West Coast, Port Alberni and Oceanside where petitioners say facilities are lacking, helping retain seniors, youth and families.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- The Investing in Canada and Green and Inclusive Community Buildings funds are fully allocated, so replenishing CCRP requires new budget priorities or reallocated money.
- Budget 2025 creates a new large fund, meaning projects must compete for limited future resources and may face long timelines.
- Focusing federal replenishment on specific localities may raise equity and practicality concerns; broader provincial delivery or a wider program could be more efficient.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
PETITION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN PARLIAMENT ASSEMBLED Petition for increased funding for community recreation facilities We, the undersigned residents of Canada, draw the attention of the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled to the following: Whereas • Recreational centres provide opportunities for communities to gather, connect and stay healthy through physical activity. • Research shows that recreational centres promote personal health and well-being among users. • Recreation facilities play a critical role in the rehabilitation of workers recovering from injuries in the workplace. • Rural communities without adequate recreational facilities find it challenging to retain seniors, youth and familes in the community which limits volunteerism and is a loss to communities. • Benefits for recreation facilities to individuals and communities have been well-researched and documented. • Recreation and active living are essential to personal health, both mental and physical. • Recreation reduces self-destructive and anti-social behaviour. • Recreation and concomitant facilities build strong families and healthy communities. • Recreation reduces healthcare and social services costs. • Recreation and concomitant facilities can be significant economic generators. And whereas Our communities need more facilities to offer diverse programs which are accessible by all our populations. And whereas Previously the federal government in partnership with the government of British Columbia provided funding through its Investing in Canada Infrastructure: Community, Culture and Recreation Program (CCRP) to support community recreational facilities. The fund needs to be replenished and a significant increase in the capital is needed to meet the recreation needs of the communities. Therefore, We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada call upon the Government of Canada to: renew and significantly increase the CCRP funding to meet the needs for expanding, creating or replacing recreation facilities on the West Coast, Port Alberni, and Oceanside.
Government response
Response by the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada Signed by Jennifer McKelvie, M.P. The Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their concerns regarding the important role that recreational facilities play in supporting healthy, inclusive, and vibrant communities. Through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, including the Community, Culture and Recreation Infrastructure stream delivered in partnership with the Province of British Columbia, and the direct delivery Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program, significant investments have been made to support community recreation projects. At this time, both the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program and the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program funds have been fully allocated. Budget 2025 announced the $51 billion Build Communities Strong Fund, a ten-year-plus plan that will drive economic growth, expand trade, and strengthen communities through three program streams: the Provincial and Territorial Stream, which will provide $17.2 billion (including a $5-billion Health Infrastructure Fund to support the modernization of health facilities); the Direct Delivery Stream, which will provide $6 billion to regionally significant projects, large building retrofits, climate adaptation, and community infrastructure; and the Community Stream (a rebranded Canada Community-Building Fund), which will provide $27.8 billion over ten years as a permanent, indexed source of support for more than 3,700 communities. Together, these streams will continue to support a wide range of community, culture, and recreation infrastructure while helping build stronger, more resilient communities across Canada. As new infrastructure initiatives are developed, the Government of Canada will continue to assess opportunities to support communities, including those on the West Coast, in Port Alberni, and in Oceanside, to ensure their recreation infrastructure needs are considered.