STRATEGIC

PLAN
2016-2020
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The AthletesCAN Board of Directors would like to thank all the stakeholders who were involved in shaping this strategic
plan. We believe that Canadian athletes will be better served because of your willingness to work together to foster a
sport system where the athlete voice is represented and respected.

Members of the Strategic Planning Committee:

Josh Vander Vies (President, AthletesCAN Board of Directors)
Maria Samson (Secretary, AthletesCAN Board of Directors)
Pierre-Luc Lalibert (AthletesCAN Board of Directors)
Ashley LaBrie (Executive Director, AthletesCAN)

Additional AthletesCAN Board Members involved in reviewing the plan:

Dasha Peregoudova (Vice President)
Thea Culley (Treasurer)
Caroline Calv
Trevor Hirschfield

For more information please contact:

AthletesCAN
17 Johanna Street
Almonte, ON K0A 1A0
Phone | 613-526-4025
Toll Free | 1-888-832-4222
Email | info@athletescan.com

/athletesCAN
This document can be downloaded at www.athletescan.com

September 2016 | Published by AthletesCAN, the Association of Canadas National Team Athletes.
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form for commercial purposes, without permission from AthletesCAN.
a word from the
MINISTER OF SPORT AND
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

Our government is committed to sport.

We recognize the contributions that the
sport sector makes to our country, both
socially and economically.
This is why we are proud to stand behind our high-performance athletes and ensure
that they have the support they need to perform at their very best, whenever and
wherever they compete. They are a tremendous source of pride for Canadians and
they have the power to inspire usespecially our young peopleto get active, take
part in sport and go after our own podium dreams.
AthletesCAN represents the voice of Canadas national team athletes. It advocates for
our elite competitors and promotes the kind of opportunities that contribute to their
success, both on and off the field. The organization also plays an important role in
nurturing Canadian athlete development from the ground up.
As Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities, I commend AthletesCAN on all the
support they provide to our high-performance athletes. I congratulate them also on
their 20162020 Strategic Plan.

The Honourable Carla Qualtrough

Minister of Sport and Persons With Disabilities

Strategic Plan 2016-2020

a word from the
PRESIDENT

Almost 25 years ago, Canadian athlete leaders from national

teams of high performance sports formed an independent
organization to embody Canadas collective athlete voice.
Even today, AthletesCAN benefits from the leadership and foresight of our founders as we represent
Canadas national team athletes and seize the opportunity to build our strategic vision for the 2016-2020
quadrennial. To excel in our mandate with limited resources, we have narrowed our focus for the next four
years to three strategic areas: Leadership, Representation, and Organizational Excellence.
Through extensive consultation with athletes from more than 60 sports, designated athlete
representatives, AthletesCAN alumni, national and multi-sport organization leaders, and other system
stakeholders, we have reviewed and renewed the way we engage Canadian athletes vision of an
athlete-centered sport system. What we have learned is reflected in this document.
The 2016-2020 Strategic Plan charts the beginning of our next 25 years and identifies the key
performance indicators that will keep us focused and accountable while allowing our athletes and the
Canadian sport system to scrutinize the delivery of our objectives. From now to 2020, AthletesCAN will:
1. Identify, develop and deliver crucial athlete leadership resources, foster and build leadership
opportunities for athletes, and celebrate athlete leadership and achievements;
2. Continue to represent and nurture the collective voice of Canadas national team athletes from
its position as the only independent athlete voice in Canada; and
3. Focus inward on our corporate governance and financial sustainability to carry out our
objectives, while meeting the high standards of organizational excellence that athletes expect
and deserve from sport organizations and their own association.
AthletesCAN believes that sport is integral to Canadian culture and that national team athletes are
role models who inspire us as a country. To address the changes in our rapidly evolving sport
environment which directly impact and influence our athletes development, it is critical that the
athlete voice is central to the system and is as accurate and independent as possible.
On behalf of the board of directors and staff, I am proud to present our 2016-2020 Strategic Plan
and am confident that this plan will allow us to continue to be leaders in Canadian sport for, and
through, our athlete members.
Yours truly,

Josh Vander Vies

President, AthletesCAN

Strategic Plan 2016-2020

table of
CONTENTS
Introduction ................................................................................................. 1

Our Role In The System................................................................................... 2

Telling Our Story ........................................................................................... 3

Renewal Of Mission, Vision, And Values .......................................................... 5

Strategic Planning Process ............................................................................ 6

Leadership ................................................................................................... 8

Representation ............................................................................................. 9

Organizational Excellence .............................................................................10

Our Strategic Approach .................................................................................12

Conclusion ...................................................................................................13

Josh Cassidy | Wheelchair Racing

Strategic Plan 2016-2020
 Michelle Salt | Para Alpine Snowboard

Strategic Plan 2016-2020

INTRODUCTION

Over the past 12 months, AthletesCAN has

engaged its members in a system-wide
dialogue to determine its priorities to 2020.
The result is a strategic plan that encompasses the
knowledge and vision of hundreds of athlete voices
both past and present and sets clearly defined,
outcome focused
objectives.

The creation of the 2016-2020 Strategic Plan was

championed by senior management and a core group of
Board members who were tasked with developing and
executing the strategic planning process and providing
recommendations to the Board. The Strategic Planning
Committee (SPC) relied heavily on athlete input to ensure
the strategic objectives of the organization remained
athlete-centered.

Erica Wiebe | Wrestling

Strategic Plan 2016-2020 1

our role in the
SYSTEM

AthletesCAN, the association of Canadas national team

athletes, is the only fully independent and most inclusive
athlete organization in the country and the first organization
of its kind in the world.
As a multi-sport organization, we represent all national team athletes including Olympic,
Paralympic, Commonwealth, Pan/Parapan American, Aboriginal and world championship
athletes, among others. Athletes who are members of Canadas national teams, or
athletes who have retired from a senior national team are considered members and
alumni of AthletesCAN.

Trevor Hirschfield | Wheelchair Rugby

Strategic Plan 2016-2020 2

telling our
STORY

AthletesCAN serves an important and unique

purpose in sport. Led by a committed group of
current and retired national team athletes -
AthletesCAN benefits from a rich history.
Over two decades ago, passionate trail blazers came together to challenge the Canadian
sport system. These early days helped to build an increasingly athlete-centered sport
system and provided hundreds of athletes with the opportunity to contribute in a number of
important ways.

Over the years, AthletesCAN has invested in athlete leadership development through effective
representation and education. The organization has created resources to build and formalize
athlete feedback mechanisms across the sport system. As a result of strengthening strategic
partnerships both within and outside of the system, AthletesCAN has continued to pioneer
innovative ways to ensure inclusive decision-making by informing, educating, and advocating
for an athlete-centered sport system.

Conlin McCabe, Will Crothers, Mike Evans, Matt Buie | Rowing

Strategic Plan 2016-2020 3

 Kirsten Sweetland | Triathlon

Strategic Plan 2016-2020 4

renewal of
MISSION, VISION & VALUES
An important component of the 2016-2020 Strategic Plan was a review and renewal of the organizations foundational
statements: its mission, vision, and values. AthletesCAN took this opportunity to review these statements by engaging athlete
leaders in a meaningful dialogue. This renewal process also served to increase the level of understanding that members had
of the organizations core mandate, the values it believed in most, and the vision it set out to achieve.

OUR MISSION: Why we exist.

As the collective voice for Canadian athletes, AthletesCAN influences a
sport system that empowers our athletes to achieve their full potential
on the field of play and beyond.
OUR VISION: What we aspire to.
The collective athlete voice is a central part of decision making in an
athlete-centered sport system.
OUR VALUES: What we believe in.
AthletesCAN promotes and lives the following athlete-focused values in
our work and through our actions:

LEADERSHIP COURAGE TRANSPARENCY EXCELLENCE

Athletes maximize their
abilities to lead by
example, inspire others to
excel, and effect
positive change where
they live, work and play
when they are equipped
with the necessary skills
and opportunities.
Athletes are empowered to
influence positive change
to ensure the rights of
athletes are supported and
respected when formal
representation structures
are in place and a
collaborative culture is
fostered within the sport
system.
Athletes excel when Athletes thrive in a high
communication is honest performance culture rooted
and frequent. Full in diversity, inclusion,
participation, collaboration innovation and integrity.
and an open dialogue with
all stakeholders leads to
superior results on the
field of play and beyond.

Strategic Plan 2016-2020 5

strategic planning
PROCESS

STRIKE STRATEGIC SPC TERMS OF BOARD

PLANNING COMMITTEE REFERENCE (TOR) APPROVAL OF
(SPC) SPC TORS

COMPLETE ANALYSIS OF ORGANIZATIONAL

STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES &
THREATS (SWOT)

NATIONAL TEAM ATHLETES:

2015 AthletesCAN Forum Strategic Planning Session
GATHER INPUT 2016 Member Survey, Interviews & Focus Groups STAKEHOLDER
FROM Athlete Representative / Council Interviews INPUT
STAKEHOLDERS Past Board Member / Alumni Interviews CONSOLIDATION

NSOs / MSOs / Sport Canada / Partner Interviews

REVIEW OF
STAKEHOLDER INPUT

PRIORITIZE & IDENTIFY BOARD

STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS STRATEGIC APPROVAL OF
BASED ON DIRECTIONS STRATEGIC
STAKEHOLDER INPUT DIRECTIONS

BOARD
REVIEW OF MISSION, MISSION, VISION, APPROVAL OF
VISION, VALUES VALUES MISSION, VISION,
VALUES

DRAFT OBJECTIVES,
STRATEGY &
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

BOARD
DEVELOP STRATEGIC STRATEGIC PLAN APPROVAL OF
PLAN DRAFT STRATEGIC PLAN

PUBLISH 2016-2020 STRATEGIC PLAN

Strategic Plan 2016-2020 6

Maria Samson | Rugby

Mike Fuailefau, Harry Jones, Matt Mullins, Sean White, Phil Mack, Lucas Hammond, Admir Cejvanovic, Justin Douglas | Rugby

Magali Harvey | Rugby

Strategic Plan 2016-2020 7
LEADERSHIP
Develop and deliver best in class athlete leadership education and
resources to build sport system capacity and foster top performances
on and off the field of play.
OBJECTIVE
Formalized system wide athlete
representation
Increase links between athlete
leaders and young Canadians to
promote physical activity, healthy
lifestyles and to celebrate
achievement
Sport Solution supports athletes in
alternative dispute resolution
Athlete leadership is recognized &
celebrated
Strategic Plan 2016-2020
STRATEGY / ACTION
Identify, develop, deliver
resources
Deliver leadership training
Identify, develop, facilitate &
promote leadership
opportunities
Deliver KidsCAN events
Identify, develop, deliver
resources
Deliver training
Represent athletes
Execute Athlete Leadership
Awards:
AthletesCAN Leadership Award
Athlete Social Responsibility (ASR)
Award
Athlete Representative Award
Additional Canadian Sport Awards
KEY PERFORMANCE
INDICATORS BY 2020
qq 75% of Athlete Representatives/NSOs
are using the AthletesCAN
standardized Athlete Report annually
qq 50% of senior national team
athletes complete the Athlete Report
survey
qq 50% of NSOs have an active or
recently retired athlete on their Board
of Directors
qq 50% of multi-sport discipline NSOs
have an Athletes Council
qq 50% of sports have at least one
athlete participating in a KidsCAN event
qq 450 athletes have participated as a
sport leader in a KidsCAN event since
inception
qq 25,000 young Canadians have
participated in a KidsCAN event since
inception
qq Sport Solution has increased its human
resource capacity to handle athlete
related issues by 50%
qq Sport Solution plays an integral role in
the development of at least one new
leadership resource annually
qq Each Athlete Leadership Award has its
own presenting sponsor
qq 25% of NSOs/sports nominated an
athlete for Athlete Representative of the
Year
8
5
REPRESENTATION
Ensure sport system stakeholders have the tools and structure
necessary to support an athlete-centered environment promoting the
holistic development of its participants in a safe and healthy manner.
OBJECTIVE
Strengthen collective voice of
national team athletes
Use the collective voice to effect
change:
The Canadian athlete funding
model includes effective formal
and consistent athlete feedback
mechanisms
Athlete agreements are
reciprocal in nature and foster
high performing relationships
between athletes and their NSO.
Athlete Health and Safety is a
system-wide priority where the
athlete voice is valued in the
development and execution of
best practices.
AthletesCAN
Strategic Plan| Strategic
2016-2020 Plan 2016-2020
STRATEGY / ACTION
Identify national team athletes
Educate and inform national team
athletes
Consult national team athletes
Engage and mobilize national
team athletes and sport system
stakeholders
KEY PERFORMANCE
INDICATORS BY 2020
qq 100% of Athlete Representatives
are contacted by phone / in person
annually
qq 100% of national teams are
engaged by AthletesCAN through
in-person meetings / conference
calls annually
qq 80% of member sports are in
attendance at AthletesCAN Forum
qq The Athlete Assistance Program
is annually reviewed and athlete
stipends reflect current Consumer
Price Index
qq Develop Athlete Advisory
Committee to advise AthletesCAN
and system stakeholders on
athlete funding model on an
ongoing basis
qq 50% of NSOs have adopted
AthletesCANs athlete agreement
recommendations
qq 25% of NSOs have adopted
the AthletesCAN recommended
Coaching Report Card
qq AthletesCAN released a position
paper on at least 2 issues
identified by national team
athletes every year
9
6
ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE
Maximize the financial and operational performance of our business,
of partners we invest in, and of the system, to ensure we provide the
maximum possible value to our athletes and the Canadian sport
system.
OBJECTIVE
AthletesCAN has achieved long-
term financial sustainability with
diversified funding sources
AthletesCAN is a leader in good
Governance:
Risk Management:
Policy
Risk mitigation procedures
Human Resources:
Board succession planning
is deliberate
Board and staff professional
development is structured
Transparency & Accountability:
Regular communication to
national team athletes
Reporting on Strategic Plan
progress to national team
athletes
Strategic Plan 2016-2020
STRATEGY / ACTION
Increase funding from four main
sources: corporate sponsors,
governments, donations and fees
for services
Foster and maintain a responsible
fiscal culture and oversight of
spending within staff and Board
of Directors
Evaluate and update policies
annually
Implement Board of Directors
professional development plan
Complete Board of Directors
performance reviews and exit
interviews
Establish Board Advisory
Committee
Report quarterly to national team
athletes
KEY PERFORMANCE
INDICATORS BY 2020
qq Percentage increase of overall
budget
qq Percentage of funding comes from
donations
qq Percentage of funding comes from
Corporate Partnerships
Note: Measurable targets have been set
internally.
qq 100% of policies are up-to-date
qq Risk Registry is up-to-date
qq Board members skills sets are
evaluated semiannually and
directors are provided with
professional development
opportunities budget permitting
qq Board members undergo an
annual performance review
qq Board member exit interviews are
conducted
qq Board Advisory Committee
meetings take place quarterly
qq The Annual Report is presented to
members prior to AGM
10
Cody Sorensen, Samuel Gigure, Jean-Nicolas Carrire, Christopher Spring | Bobsleigh

Jennifer Jones | Curling Ryan Fry | Curling

Strategic Plan 2016-2020 11
our strategic
APPROACH
Guided by our strategic plan, AthletesCAN will endeavor to improve
the Canadian sport system by committing to the following actions:
We commit to having a clear
vision for an athlete-centered
sport system by:
Understanding challenges in
supporting athlete leadership
development and formal athlete
representation structures and
building best practices to
implement and support them
across all national and multi-sport
organizations in the high
performance sport system.
Understanding the needs and
rights of athletes within the
system and advocating on behalf
of them both individually and
collectively.
Facilitating engagement and
collaboration across the sport
system between the athlete
voice and system stakeholders to
achieve shared performance
objectives.
We commit to empowering and
celebrating our athletes by:
Identifying, developing and
advancing current athlete leadership
development practices through the
provision of world leading resources
and consultation.
Increasing the capacity of our
partners to ensure the needs and
rights of athletes are entrenched
in culture, procedures and policies,
and.
Promoting the achievements of
our national team athletes as they
develop their leadership skills in key
roles within the sport community and
beyond.
We commit to providing world
leading athlete leadership
education through:
The AthletesCAN Forum in
collaboration with sport system
stakeholders.
Investing in support systems
such as Sport Solution, to guide
athletes through pertinent
processes, policies and
procedures as part of their
athletic journey.
Ensuring the athlete voice is
represented within the decision
making process with regards to
current issues and the
development of new initiatives
which will have a direct or
indirect impact on athletes.

ATHLETE-FOCUSED SYSTEM-LED PERFORMANCE-DRIVEN

We are focused on the We focus on the system We hold ourselves and
needs and expectations attributes which best others accountable and
of Canadas national impact the collective seek continuous
team athletes. achievement of shared improvement.
objectives.

AthletesCAN
Strategic Plan| Strategic
2016-2020 Plan 2016-2020 12
8
CONCLUSION

Sport is dynamic as is this plan.

There is a deep desire from Canadas national team athletes to see
AthletesCAN flourish.
Through the 2016-2020 Strategic Plan, we are committed to becoming more
purposeful and making positive change for our members. The organization
will do fewer things and do them exceptionally well.
AthletesCAN has benefited from many voices in the shaping of the strategic plan.
And like those voices, this plan is a living, dynamic document that will grow and
evolve with the organization; providing a solid foundation for planning between
now and 2020.

Ryan Cochrane | Swimming

Strategic Plan 2016-2020 13
 17 Johanna Street
Almonte, ON K0A 1A0

Phone: 613-526-4025
Toll Free: 1-888-832-4222
Email: info@athletescan.com
www.athletescan.com