ParaTough Cup events in Toronto and Calgary aim to raise funds for Paralympic sport across Canada

The premier fundraising event for Para sport in Canada is heading to Toronto (February 22) and Calgary (March 6) over the next month, as the Paralympic Foundation of Canada’s ParaTough Cup continues to provide the chance for participants to experience the excitement of Paralympic sport for themselves.   

A half-day event, ParaTough Cup features teams of six people competing in Paralympic-inspired challenges, including wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, and wheelchair racing. Teams entered in the event, many of whom are from the corporate community, have committed to raise at least $5,000 to participate. 

A number of local Paralympians will be on hand in each city to support the participants as coaches, officials, and ambassadors, such as recently retired Para alpine skier Erin Latimer and dual sport star Cindy Ouellet (wheelchair basketball and Para nordic skiing) in Toronto as well as Rio 2016 Paralympian Tammy Cunnington (Para swimming) in Calgary. More athletes will be confirmed closer to each event date. 

“Events like ParaTough Cup are so important to raise funds and raise awareness about Para sport,” said wheelchair basketball player and London 2012 gold medallist Chad Jassman, who will be the co-emcee in Calgary. “There are opportunities out there for people with disabilities to play sport, but we need to help them access those opportunities and that requires support from the community. I’m excited to share my story at the event and it should be a really fun afternoon.”

“ParaTough Cup awakens people to the intensity and complexity of Para sport,” said Scott Russell, host of CBC Sports’ Road to the Olympic Games, who will be the emcee in Toronto. “Canada is an international leader in the Paralympic Movement and the friendly competition at this event is important in creating awareness and opportunity for all people to engage with high-performance sport. ParaTough Cup is fostering a community which is increasingly committed to the power of sport for all.”  

This will be the third annual ParaTough Cup in Toronto, and its debut in Calgary. Over $475,000 has been raised in the two years since the inaugural event was held in 2017. Most recently, two successful editions in Montreal and Vancouver last November contributed $148,000 towards the development of Para sport in the country.

“It’s always great to see people come together at ParaTough Cup to support Para sport, see what it’s all about, and learn from some of Canada’s incredible Paralympians,” said Dean Brokop, Director, Paralympic Foundation of Canada. “We’re looking forward to the Toronto and Calgary events, and are confident the teams will have an amazing day and come away with a new appreciation of the Paralympic Movement. It’s thanks to events like ParaTough Cup that we can support so many initiatives for athletes with a disability such as providing quality Para sport programming, coaching, and equipment.” 

The Paralympic Foundation of Canada is the philanthropic arm of the Canadian Paralympic Committee, and believes that every Canadian with a disability should be able to imagine themselves at the start line. The Foundation raises funds to provide more Canadians with a disability the opportunity to be active in their communities and strive for success on the world stage. 

For more information about ParaTough Cup, please visit Paralympic.ca/paratough-cup. Interested participants can still register teams to compete. 

ParaTough Cup Toronto
Friday February 22, 2019
University of Toronto Athletic Centre

ParaTough Cup Calgary
Wednesday March 6, 2019
Repsol Centre