P.E.I. cuts direct funding for elite athletes by 25%

Island athletes training and competing at the national and international level are seeing smaller cheques from the P.E.I. government this year. Provincial officials say some of the funding devoted to the Elite Athlete Assistance Program has been reallocated, meaning on average a 25 per cent drop in direct funding per athlete.

Carsen Campbell a member of the national biathlon team training year-round in Canmore, Alta. says after receiving $4,000 from the provincial government for the past four years, he's been handed just $3,000 this year.

"It means I have to make another $1,000 that I assumed I was getting from the province," said Campbell. "At the end of the day, it just means I have to work more this summer. And the less athletes have to work, the more time we can train. So this makes it harder to be competitive, I guess."

It just means I have to work more this summer. And the less athletes have to work, the more time we can train and worker. So this makes it harder to be competitive, I guess.- National biathlon team member Carson Campbell

John Morrison, P.E.I.'s sport and recreation director, says as many as 18 P.E.I. athletes apply for and receive elite funding each year.

But he doesn't think those athletes will be negatively impacted by the funding shuffle.

"I don't think you'll see a whole lot of difference in terms of the resources and supports they'll get," said Morrison.

Morrison said his department is moving money around to give provincial sports organizations including Biathlon PEI access to more stable, long-term funding than they could apply for in the past. He says some of that money will likely be used by organizations to help support elite athletes.

'More input for sports organizations'

"It provides an opportunity for the sports organizations to have more input into the direction and planning process that's needed to support their athletes and coaches," said Morrison.

"Hopefully sports organizations will still see the value in what [their elite athletes] are doing. I don't think there's any doubt in anyone's mind that those athletes competing at that level are really bringing a lot of attention back home here to their sporting organizations."

But Campbell said it's still not clear whether he'll be getting any financial support from Biathlon PEI under the new funding model. Applications from sports bodies for 2016-17 performance funding with the province aren't even due until later this fall.

"All that I can see at this point is a cut," said Campbell. "I really don't think sending it through another set of hands is going to help athletes at a high end."

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