Canadian Olympic Foundation
Next Gen Initiative: Powering the Next Generation
Olympic success does not happen overnight. Across Canada, young athletes have the talent, drive, passion, and potential to excel. What they need are the resources to match.
The Next Gen Initiative supports Canada’s most promising athletes who are on the path to future Olympic success. By helping remove financial barriers and providing access to critical resources, Next Gen funding/support ensures athletes have the coaching, training environments, competition opportunities, and sport science support needed to reach their full potential.
Through investment in Next Gen, athletes gain the tools and experience required to progress from emerging talent to Olympic contender. This support helps build a strong pipeline of future Team Canada athletes, strengthening Canada’s ability to compete and succeed on the world stage.
How Next Gen Supports Athletes
Next Gen prepares athletes on the path to representing Team Canada at future Olympic Games by providing access to high-performance coaching, world-class training facilities and equipment, sport medicine expertise, and national and international competition opportunities. Together, these resources help athletes develop the skills, experience, and confidence required to compete on the global stage.
Fuelling the Future Together
Each year, the Canadian Olympic Committee and the Canadian Olympic Foundation invest in the Next Gen Initiative to strengthen the future of Team Canada.
Through this support, athletes receive the resources they need to develop, compete, and thrive, building the depth and strength required for future Olympic success.
Your Impact in Numbers
$8M
GRANTED TO NEXT GEN
926
ATHLETES SUPPORTED
60%
ATHLETES AT MILANO CORTINA 2026 WERE SUPPORTED BY NEXT GEN
40%
ATHLETES AT PARIS 2024 WERE SUPPORTED BY NEXT GEN
- $4M invested annually (matched by Sport Canada for $8M total investment)
- 946 athletes supported in 2025-2026
- % of medals from Milano and Paris
- 76% (16) of Team Canada’s medals were won by athletes/teams with one or more athlete(s) who received Next Gen funding at one point in their Olympic journey.
- Approximately 42% of Team Canada medallists at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games had received Next Gen support.
- % of athletes that went to Milano and Paris
- 62% of athletes at Milano Cortinal were previous Next Gen athletes
- 42% of athletes at Paris 2024 were previous Next Gen athletes
- Milano Cortina 2026 Impact
- 71% of Team Canada’s medals at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games were won by athletes and teams that had received Next Gen funding earlier in their Olympic journeys.
- Approximately 62% of Team Canada athletes who competed at Milano Cortina 2026 had received Next Gen support.
- Paris 2024 Impact
- 17 of 27 Team Canada medallists at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games received Next Gen Funding during their Olympic journeys.
- Approximately 42% Of Team Canada athletes who competed at Paris 2024 had received Next Gen support.
Athlete Spotlights – V1
Three-time Olympic Medallist Eliot Grondin, Snowboard
Eliot Grondin was a double medallist during his second Olympic appearance at Beijing 2022, and the 2025 world champion in his sport. At Milano Cortina 2026, Grondin won his second straight Olympic silver medal in men’s snowboard cross, bringing his Olympic medal total to three.
Four-time Olympic Medallist Isabelle Weidemann, Speed Skating
Isabelle Weidemann was a Next Gen athlete ahead of her first Olympic appearance at PyeongChang 2018. Four years later, she competed again at Beijing 2022 winning a gold, silver and bronze, and was named Canada’s closing ceremony flagbearer. At Milano Cortina 2026, she won a second Olympic gold in the women’s team pursuit.
Athlete Spotlights – V2
Eliot Grondin was a double medallist during his second Olympic appearance at Beijing 2022, and the 2025 world champion in his sport. At Milano Cortina 2026, Grondin won his second straight Olympic silver medal in men’s snowboard cross, bringing his Olympic medal total to three.
Isabelle Weidemann was a Next Gen athlete ahead of her first Olympic appearance at PyeongChang 2018. Four years later, she competed again at Beijing 2022 winning a gold, silver and bronze, and was named Canada’s closing ceremony flagbearer. At Milano Cortina 2026, she won a second Olympic gold in the women’s team pursuit.
Meet Previous Next Gen Athletes
Ann-Renée Desbiens is a three-time Olympic medallist, having won gold in women’s hockey at Beijing 2022 as well as silver…
Ben Hebert is a three-time Olympian and a two-time Olympic gold medallist. He is also a two-time world champion and…
Blayre Turnbull is a three-time Olympic medallist, having won gold in women’s hockey at Beijing 2022 to go with silver…
Bo Horvat is set to make his Olympic debut at Milano Cortina 2026. He has twice been part of Team…
Brad Marchand is set to make his Olympic debut at Milano Cortina 2026. He first played for the senior national…
Brandon Hagel made his Olympic debut at Milano Cortina 2026 where he helped Canada win the silver medal in men’s…
Generational Investment
As Team Canada looks ahead to LA 2028, the French Alps 2030 and beyond, the future of Canadian sport is being strengthened through unprecedented investment.
The federal government has announced that it will double its Next Gen funding up to $10 million annually. This investment will be matched by private support from the Canadian Olympic Foundation, Canadian Olympic Committee, Canadian Paralympic Committee, and Paralympic Foundation of Canada.
This commitment forms part of the federal government’s generational $755 million investment over five years to support the Canadian sport system and the next generation of Canadian athletes.
Donor Impact
By supporting the Next Gen Initiative, you can help Canada’s most promising athletes access the resources they need to grow, compete, and thrive. Your investment helps athletes be ready for their moment: stronger, more prepared, and better equipped to perform at their best.
Today’s Next Gen athletes are tomorrow’s Team Canada champions. By investing in Next Gen today, you are helping build the pipeline of future Team Canada athletes and supporting the Olympians who will represent Canada at LA 2028, the French Alps 2030, and beyond.
Impact Reports
2025-2026 Impact Report
2024-2025 Impact Report