The journey of Ontario’s Team Canada athletes to the world stage

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Ever wonder what it takes to represent Team Canada at the Olympics? As fans get ready to cheer this summer, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), the official Ontario lottery partner of Team Canada, shines a light on the support our athletes need to compete on the world’s greatest sporting stage and how OLG players have made a difference. 

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At Paris 2024, all eyes will be on six-time Olympic medalist Andre De Grasse, as he goes for gold again and targets the longstanding Canadian men’s 100-metre record. 

While it may take De Grasse fewer than 10 seconds to cross the 100-metre finish line, he’s spent more than a decade getting to where he is today. Many are unaware of the years of hard work, dedication and financial strain it takes to represent Ontario and Team Canada.  

De Grasse gets up at sunrise Monday through Saturday for a rigorous training schedule that includes several hours at the track, followed by a session of weights three days a week. Then there’s the time for treatment from his team of physiotherapists, chiropractors and massage therapists. His grueling day only ends when his children come home from school in the afternoon. The cost of his dreams is not just physical, it’s financial as well. De Grasse has to pay coaches and therapists and incur travel costs to competitions all over the world, for both himself and his support team.  

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“When I started in the sport, my mom and I were a little overwhelmed by the cost of equipment and travel,” he says. “You realize pretty quickly that having talent and working hard isn’t enough without the proper financial support. You need sponsors to invest in your career so that you can realize your full potential.” 

Like many Ontario elite competitors, De Grasse received funding from Quest for Gold, a program which provides financial support to thousands of amateur athletes. Since 2006, OLG and the Ontario Government have worked together to support high-performance athletes, enabling them to focus on their training and compete at the highest levels. 

De Grasse credits support from programs such as Quest for Gold for helping him treat his sport as a profession and give it his full-time focus.  

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“Training for the Olympics takes a lot of work,” he says. “It’s physical, mental and financial and you can’t do it alone. With the proper support, I can focus on the work I need to put in at the track and in the gym so that I can return home to spend time with my family and get the rest I need, knowing I’ll do it all over again tomorrow.”  

Hammer thrower Jillian Weir is another Ontario athlete supported by Quest for Gold. She was inspired to pursue her Olympic dreams with Team Canada as she watched her father, a three-time Olympian, compete. 

“In my Grade Five yearbook, they asked what I wanted to be when I grow up,” Weir recalls. “I wrote that I wanted to be an international athlete and pursue sport at the highest level. It’s in my blood.” 

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Like De Grasse, Weir pours her heart and soul into her sport. A typical training day sees her get up at 7:00 a.m. for a two-hour practice session followed by physiotherapy and massage. The afternoon brings another round of drills, then weightlifting. 

Although Weir was just shy of qualifying for the Paris Games, she represented the country in Tokyo 2020 and already has her sights set on the next Olympics.  

“Competing for Team Canada is a full-time job,” she says. 

According to Weir, financial support is critical to fund anything from facility usage to coaching and physiotherapy. It also allows athletes to pay for everyday expenses, like housing, food, and utilities. Additionally, when it comes to top-tier competitions, the cost of airfare, hotels and other transportation quickly adds up. 

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“Programs like Quest for Gold help lift a huge weight off your shoulders,” Weir says. “You don’t have to worry about all those expenses or how you’re going to be able to pay for different competitions and just to live. It makes me a stronger competitor.” 

Whether they know it or not, many Ontarians play a part in supporting Ontario’s rising athletic talent, because OLG reinvests 100 per cent of its profits back into the province.  

OLG has a strong history of supporting amateur sport in Ontario – from providing $110 million to the Quest for Gold program, to promoting athletes on its Quest for Gold lottery tickets, to becoming the Official Ontario Lottery Partner of Team Canada. But it isn’t possible without OLG players. 

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OLG’s new “Sponsored by You” campaign reinforces that message. The campaign features De Grasse and Weir, alongside Team Canada Olympic gold-medallists Penny Oleksiak and Maggie Mac Neil.  

“Watching Team Canada athletes compete to bring home the win for Ontario is living proof of the impact of investing in our Team Canada hopefuls,” says Maxine Chapman, vice president brand & marketing officer at OLG. “Every cent of OLG’s profits is reinvested into Ontario. This ability to give back to communities is only possible thanks to our players, so we recognize and celebrate them as we get ready to cheer on our athletes in Paris.” 

OLG’s $2 INSTANT QUEST FOR GOLD game is also available for purchase at retail outlets in Ontario this summer.

To learn more about the Sponsored by You campaign, visit SponsoredByYou.ca.

This story was created by Content Works, Postmedia’s commercial content division, on behalf of OLG. 

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