Bell Canada partners with True Sport Foundation to announce year two of Bell Community Sport Fund

Vancouver, B.C. – Bell Canada, together with the True Sport Foundation, today announced the second year of the $1 million Bell Community Sport Fund which invests in community-based hockey and soccer programs for children and youth across Canada.

In 2006 the Bell Community Sport Fund will build on the success of last year’s program that met its goal of awarding $1 million in grants to benefit over 30,000 young Canadians in 152 communities in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec.  This year’s program will award individual grants to community-level hockey and soccer initiatives to reduce enrollment costs, develop equipment sharing programs, increase the number of coaches and officials and improve existing playing surfaces or build new ones. 

“At Bell Canada, we believe in giving young people the opportunity to live healthy, happy and active lives,” said Justin Webb, Vice President, Olympic Services, Bell Canada. “Last year’s launch of the Bell Community Sport Fund was a tremendous success. We are proud to partner again this year with the True Sport Foundation to continue improving access for children and youth to community-based sports.”

Applicants whose projects demonstrate long-term sustainability and legacy potential are eligible for one of 12 grants valued at $25,000.  In addition, 140 grants valued at $5,000 will be awarded to qualified organizations whose programs work to expand participation and reduce barriers to youth sport.

“We are very pleased that Bell Canada will continue its commitment to youth sport in 2006,” said Paul Melia, President of the True Sport Foundation. “The Bell Community Sport Fund supports programs at the grassroots level, which ultimately make a real difference right at the heart of Canada’s communities.”

Today’s announcement took place at the Strathcona Community Centre in Vancouver, one of last year’s $25,000 grant recipients.  The Strathcona Community Centre runs a year-long soccer clinic for children living in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

Information on submitting grant applications to the Bell Community Sport Fund can be found at www.truesport.ca/bellfund.  Eligible Canadian community sport groups must be located in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario or Quebec.

About Bell Canada

Bell Canada is Canada’s national leader in communications with 28 million customer connections across the country. The company provides consumers with simple solutions to all their communications needs, including telephone services, wireless communications, high-speed Internet, digital television and voice over IP. Bell also offers integrated information and communications technology (ICT) services to businesses and governments, and is the Virtual Chief Information Officer (VCIO) to small and medium businesses (SMBs). Bell is proud to be a Premier National Partner and the exclusive Communications Partner to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Bell is wholly-owned by BCE Inc. For information on Bell’s products and services, please visit http://www.bell.ca/, and for corporate information on BCE, please visit http://www.bce.ca/.

About True Sport

True Sport is a national movement committed to the belief that sport makes a powerful and positive contribution to the development of people and communities.  True Sport emphasizes the key role that sport can play in the development of a strong and connected Canada.  For more information please visit truesport.ca.

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