Canadian Paralympic Committee adds two sport organizations to its membership

OTTAWA – The Canadian Paralympic Committee’s membership base has grown to 27 national sport organizations, as Canada Soccer and the Canadian Powerlifting Union were officially approved and welcomed at a Special Meeting of Members on Wednesday evening, voted in by the membership. 

“We are excited to welcome Canada Soccer and the Canadian Powerlifting Union to our membership,” said Marc-André Fabien, president, Canadian Paralympic Committee. “Our membership base is so important to the CPC, to the sport community in Canada, and to the evolution of the Paralympic Movement across the country. Both Canada Soccer and the Canadian Powerlifting Union are fantastic organizations with hard working and talented people and athletes who are dedicated to growing their sports, and we look forward to working with them on a higher level.”

Canada Soccer governs the national Para soccer team, which currently competes in 7-a-side football for athletes with cerebral palsy or recovering from stroke or brain injuries. At the international level, the sport is part of the Parapan American Games. It was part of the Paralympic Games from 1984 to 2016 but just missed out on inclusion for Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. 

“Canada Soccer has a strong commitment to athletes of all abilities and welcomes the opportunity to become a member of the Canadian Paralympic Committee,” said Steven Reed, president, Canada Soccer. “We look forward to continuing to build on an exciting Para Soccer National Team program while strengthening our ties to the Canadian sport community through our membership to the Canadian Paralympic Committee.”

The Canadian Powerlifting Union is responsible for Para powerlifting in the country, a sport that is part of both the Parapan Am and Paralympic Games programs and has a variety of classifications for athletes with lower limb or hip impairments. 

”The Canadian Powerlifting Union is looking forward to working with the Canadian Paralympic Committee to create opportunities for our Para powerlifting community,” said Jeff Butt, vice-president, director of programs for the Canadian Powerlifting Union. ”Our hope is to develop and grow our athletes numbers and create a professional platform for them to compete. A huge thank you to the CPC for accepting the CPU. We look forward to working toward a brighter future.”

For the complete list and more information about the Canadian Paralympic Committee’s 27 members, please visit Paralympic.ca/members.