Athlete Assistance Program (AAP)

Who is eligible?

• Canadian National Sport Organizations (NSOs) with high-performance sport programs funded by Sport Canada
• High-performance Canadian athletes nominated by their eligible NSO

Who is not eligible

• This program is not open to companies or organizations; it is specifically intended for individual athletes nominated by their National Sport Organization.
• Businesses, corporations, or entities not engaged in high-performance sport as recognized by an eligible National Sport Organization are not eligible.

Eligible expenses

• Monthly living and training allowance for approved athletes.
• Tuition fees for approved courses at eligible Canadian publicly-funded post-secondary institutions (up to an annual and lifetime maximum).
• Deferred tuition support for eligible athletes to pursue post-secondary studies after their athletic career (up to specified maximums).
• Supplementary allowances, including Excellence Living and Training Allowance for top performers, Child Dependent Allowance, and Training and Competition Allowance for Paralympic athletes with high support needs (amounts determined by income).
• Relocation assistance for moving to or from a designated National Team Training Centre (limited to specified transportation and accommodation expenses).
• Support for new parents to help cover eligible travel costs for a support person attending NSO-required training camps or competitions (subject to maximums and conditions).
• Retirement assistance for transition support (one-time, subject to eligibility and maximum amount).

Eligible geographic areas

• Canada (applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents, and participate in National Sport Organization high-performance programs funded by Sport Canada)

• Compliance with the criteria for granting patents approved and distributed by the national sports organization (NSO), in accordance with the requirements of the Athlete Assistance Program (AAP).
• Satisfaction of the objective criteria established by the NSO for the selection of athletes recommended for program support.
• Conformity of the recommendations with the policies and procedures of the AAP during the review by Sport Canada.

• Step 1: Contact Your National Sport Organization (NSO)
  • Reach out to your NSO to obtain the Athlete Assistance Program (AAP) application forms and related information.
  • Request the current version of the sport-specific, AAP-compliant carding criteria and familiarize yourself with the process.
• Step 2: Review Program Guidelines and Policies
  • Carefully read section 6, “Application for and Approval of Cards,” of the AAP Policies and Procedures.
  • Ensure all requirements as outlined by your NSO and Sport Canada are understood.
• Step 3: Prepare Application Package
  • Complete the AAP Application Form provided by your NSO.
  • Fill out a direct deposit form for payment purposes.
  • Sign the Athlete/NSO Agreement for the carding cycle.
  • Complete the required online anti-doping education modules.
• Step 4: Submit Application to NSO
  • Provide the completed application package including all required forms to your NSO.
• Step 5: Nomination and Review
  • The NSO reviews and nominates eligible athletes based on the published carding criteria.
  • The NSO submits the application package to Sport Canada for final review.
• Step 6: Approval by Sport Canada
  • Sport Canada reviews the NSO’s nominations and approves eligible athletes for carding support.
  • If approved, you will be notified in writing and begin receiving benefits for the approved period.

• Over 1,900 athletes in more than 90 sport disciplines receive AAP support each year.
• The financial support received from the AAP is non-taxable in Canada.
• Athletes receiving assistance are referred to as “carded athletes,” and the funding process is known as “carding.”
• Supplementary support options are available, including allowances for excellence, child dependents, high support needs for Paralympic athletes, relocation, new parents, and retirement assistance.