Legislation and Policy

National Laws and Key Policies on Gender Equality in Physical Education, Physical Activity, and Sport

 

Canada

Canada Sport Support Programme (2024), Canada has been promoting gender equality in sports since 1986 with the Sport Canada Policy on Women in Sport. The Actively engaged: A policy on Sport for Women and Girls, replaced it in 2005, with a strong focus on “increasing sport participation and supporting the pursuit of excellence in sport for all Canadians, including women”.

The Physical Activity and Sport Act (2003) is complimented by the 2019 strategy complement policy by focusing solely on promoting women’s role in elite sports, both as athletes, officials, or coaches. Canada’s Sport Support Program (2024) frames the system and processes for access to funding for sport organisations.

The Integrated pan-canadian healthy living strategy integrates gender equity beyond sports in the realm of physical activity and health. Finally, the Future of Sport in Canada Commisison was established in 2024 to make recommendations on actions to improve safe sport and the safe sport system in Canada.

International Policy Frameworks – Canada

The GO Policy Mapping initiative looks at a set of international policy frameworks that apply across all countries. This table zooms in on Canada, showing whether it has joined each framework, if legal obligations are attached, and which organisation is framework holder.

You can sort the columns to view the information in different ways. For the full list of frameworks visit Frameworks site.

Directory of National Laws and Key Institutions – Canada

Browse or quickly find relevant national legislation, strategy, or action plan using the search and filter options. You can filter entries based on country, themes and impact area or search using keywords to locate specific document. Discover Canadian national laws and key policies on gender equality & sport with just a few clicks! 

wdt_ID wdt_created_by wdt_created_at wdt_last_edited_by wdt_last_edited_at Policy Type Policy Policy Authority Year Enacted Impact Areas website
11 Strategy Canadian High Performance Sport Strategy Sport Canada 2019 Sport https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/sport-policies-acts-regulations/high-performance-strategy.html#a8
12 Strategy The integrated pan-canadian healthy living strategy The Secretariat for the Intersectoral Healthy Living Network in partnership with the F/P/T Healthy Living Task Group and the F/P/T Advisory Committee on Population Health and Health Security (ACPHHS) 2005 Sport, Physical Activity https://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/hp-ps/hl-mvs/ipchls-spimmvs/pdf/ipchls-spimmvs-eng.pdf
13 Policy 2025-2035 Canadian Sport Policy Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers responsible for sport, physical activity and recreation 2025 Sport, Physical Activity https://csp.sirc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Canadian-Sport-Policy-2025-2035-EN-FINAL.pdf
14 Policy Active Canada 20/20   2012 Sport, Physical Activity https://sirc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Active-Canada-2020-_-FinalE-May-2012.pdf
15 Policy A Common Vision for increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary living in Canada: Let’s Get Moving Federal, provincial and territorial governments. 2018 Sport, Physical Activity, Physical Education https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/publications/healthy-living/lets-get-moving/pub-eng.pdf
16 Policy Actively Engaged: A Policy on Sport for Women and Girls Department of Canadian Heritage 2005 Sport https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/sport-policies-acts-regulations/policy-actively-engaged-women-girls.html
17 Legislation Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport Version 2022 (6.0) Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada 2019 Sport, Physical Activity, Physical Education https://sportintegritycommissioner.ca/files/UCCMS-v6.0-20220531.pdf
Policy Type Year Enacted Impact Areas

Historical Highlights

Royal Commission on the Status of Women set guidelines to increase girls in school sports.

Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women in Sport (CAAWS) founded.

Sport Canada Women and Sport Policy published

The Sports Council incorporates gender equity into its guiding principles.

Data Statement

The information presented in this country profile has been collected by the GO from publicly available sources. The data is then reviewed by the members of the GO network. Dates of data collection and review are indicated below and updated on an ongoing basis.

  • Data collected: August 2025

  • Data review: In progress

Historical highlights data available here.

If you notice any gaps or errors in the existing data, don’t hesitate to contact us at data@genderequalitysport.org.