Sport for Life received the TAFISA Mission 2030 Award for its innovative New-to-Canada Long-Term Development (NLTD) Pathway Initiative, a framework that shifts sport inclusion from an afterthought to a system design priority.
A Shift in Thinking
At the heart of Sport for Life's approach is a deceptively simple yet powerful insight: sport systems must be designed with people in mind from the very beginning.
"This award validates a simple but powerful idea," the team explained. "When sport is designed with people in mind-developmentally appropriate, inclusive, and accessible-it becomes a driver of lifelong health and belonging."
Winning the Mission 2030 Award represents far more than recognition. "Winning the M2030 Award is both an affirmation and an accelerant of Sport for Life's mission to improve the quality of sport and advance physical literacy for all. It recognises that system-level change, when grounded in long-term development and inclusion, can have a meaningful, measurable impact."
The award also strengthens Sport for Life's ability to scale its work across Canada, deepen global partnerships, and expand the reach of tools like PLAYBuilder and the NLTD framework itself.
From Framework to Action
The speed at which the NLTD has moved from concept to community impact is striking. Rather than remaining theoretical, the framework has rapidly translated into tangible results across Canada.
"Within months of its release, we saw the NLTD move from framework to practice. Ranging from collaborating with the Canadian Olympic Committee through the Bell Starting Line events, engaging newcomer youth with Olympians, or partnering with Canada Skateboard, providing a first-time experience on the boards to 100 newcomer kids in a single day."
These moments matter on multiple levels. "These moments are powerful, both systemically and individually, because we co-created the experiences with leaders of the Newcomer-serving organisations, and also, they combine inspiration, access and development, creating positive first experiences that can shape lifelong participation."
The philosophy underpinning this work is collaboration, not in name only, but in practice. Sport for Life uses an evocative metaphor to describe their approach: "Collaboration is like a potluck where everyone brings a dish of their choice, but Co-creating, which is the approach the NLTD advocates for and has been what we have been doing, is where everyone brings their ingredients and we cook together, share stories and create a taste that we all enjoy. Including Newcomers from the beginning to the end of all pathways and projects is the essence of the NLTD."
Meeting People Where They Are
The NLTD recognises a fundamental truth: newcomers are not a monolithic group. They come from diverse backgrounds, speak different languages, have varying experiences, and bring distinct needs and assets to the sport ecosystem.
Rather than asking newcomers to fit into existing systems, Sport for Life asks how systems must change to meet newcomers where they are.
"NLTD meets people where they are-whether that is a child trying sport for the first time, a parent navigating a new system, or an organisation rethinking how it delivers programs," the team explained.
This layered approach engages multiple segments of the population:
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Children and youth participate through introductory, play-based programming that builds physical literacy and confidence
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Families access welcoming, community-oriented environments that reduce cultural and logistical barriers
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Coaches and leaders receive education and tools to deliver genuinely inclusive programs
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Organisations and systems align and adapt their policies, pathways, and programming based on newcomer realities
The Power of Partnerships
Sport for Life's success depends on partnerships that span sectors. This work connects sport, recreation, health, education, and migrant settlement organisations-creating a comprehensive ecosystem rather than isolated programmes.
"No single organisation can create inclusive systems alone. The strength of NLTD lies in collaboration: linking national sport organisations, community providers, researchers, and newcomer-serving agencies."
The evidence is concrete. Community Sport for All initiatives have partnered with national organisations, including Canada Soccer, Squash Canada, and Table Tennis Canada. Research collaborations such as the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) CO-PLAY project have established five network hubs across Canada focused on embedding physical literacy into settlement pathways. "Partnerships ensure both reach and relevance," the team affirmed.
Scaling Impact: From Canada to the World
The Mission 2030 Award provides momentum for ambitious expansion. Sport for Life is now positioned to scale the NLTD both within Canada and internationally, adapting the framework to different cultural contexts and communities.
The award will support:
- Greater integration with digital tools like PLAYBuilder to improve the quality of sport and physical activity delivery
- Expanded partnerships across global sport and development networks
- Increased investment in project delivery, research, measurement, and impact tracking
Emerging resources like Aquawelcome, designed to help newcomers access aquatic programs including swimming, water safety, rowing, water polo, fishing, and artistic swimming, demonstrate Sport for Life's commitment to removing barriers across multiple sport contexts.
A Message for the Global Community
Sport for Life's message to the international sport and active living community is rooted in a fundamental principle of inclusion: centring the voices of those most affected.
"If we want sport to be truly for all, we must design it that way from the beginning. As newcomers or Indigenous people say, 'nothing about us without us,'" the team states.
The NLTD demonstrates that inclusion is not a compromise on excellence-it is a pathway to stronger, more effective systems for everyone.
"When we focus on good people, good programs, and good places, supported by the right pathways and partnerships, we create sport systems that don't just perform, but transform lives. Quality Sport has the power to connect, welcome, and build communities. The opportunity now is to scale that impact nationally and globally, ensuring that everyone, regardless of where they come from, can belong through sport and physical activity."
About Sport for Life's New-to-Canada Long-Term Development Pathway
The NLTD initiative applies Sport for Life's Long-Term Development framework specifically to ensure newcomers are not only welcomed into sport and physical activity but actively included in decision-making, with their lived experiences recognised as valuable contributions to stronger, more inclusive systems.
By centring newcomer voices and removing systemic barriers, the NLTD builds equitable pathways that enhance belonging, improve health and social connection, and strengthen Canada's sport and physical activity sector through more responsive and culturally relevant programmes.
At the community level, the initiative fosters cross-cultural understanding and strengthens social cohesion by celebrating diverse sporting traditions while introducing Canadian activities. It also builds capacity by educating coaches and volunteers in inclusive practices and creating opportunities for newcomers to engage as participants, leaders, and volunteers.
