Author: Emmalee Nother, Head of Communications, Canadian Olympic Foundation
t’s hard to believe it was just ten years ago that the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games captivated and united the nation like never before; leaving a legacy that would change the Canadian sport landscape forever. Canadians poured our hearts, our pride, and our passion into the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Vancouver 2010 touched lives, inspired communities, put a spotlight on the Canadian spirit, and in the face of impossible odds and compelling adversity, showed the world what it means to be truly Canadian.
Canadians welcomed the world with glowing hearts and filled venues and streets with red and white to celebrate the Olympic and Paralympic spirit. The words to “O Canada” could be heard for miles, in every language, enabling the world to become honourary Canadians for the span of the Games. A sea of Red Mittens could be seen in every town, village and city across the country, often worn proudly with Team Canada Crosby jerseys and Canadian Flags draped over shoulders. Who could forget the cheer of pure elation as that infamous “golden goal” was scored? Sorry, Team USA.
The legacy of Vancouver 2010 is very much still evident by both the impact of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and in the increased funding and support that sport in Canada has seen over the past decade. In the last ten years, Team Canada has seen countless record-breaking performances, more podium finishes than ever before, and higher gold medal counts thanks in large part to the momentum generated by Vancouver 2010.
In 2010, Canada won 14 gold medals, the most ever won by one country at an Olympic Winter Games at that time. We won a total of 26 medals once it was all over and done with, a Canadian record. Since then, we have gone on to win 25 medals at Sochi 2014, 26 medals at Rio 2016 and a historic 29 medals in PyeongChang in 2018. All proof of the lasting legacy that increased funding from Vancouver 2010 has had on Canadian high-performance sport. Imagine what Tokyo 2020 will bring for Team Canada!
It is crucial that we continue to build on this legacy by providing adequate funding to our sport system that is still currently under financial pressure. The future of our Olympic success depends on our future Olympians, the Next Generation of Team Canada. It’s the only way we can maintain our momentum on the world stage in sport. Currently, most high-performance athletes are putting their everything into their training, coaching, competitions and recovery – this puts a substantial dent in their finances. So much so, that most of our future Olympians and current Olympians are going thousands of dollars into debt just so that they can one day stand on the podium, representing all of us in front of the world.
That's where the Canadian Olympic Foundation comes in. The Foundation has enabled Canadians, Canadian athletes and their coaches to strive for excellence in sport. We are the official charitable organization of the Canadian Olympic Committee and Team Canada, and we aim to inspire every Canadian to be capable of greatness, through sport and Olympic values.
The Canadian Olympic Foundation empowers Canadians to be an integral part of the Canadian Olympic Movement by directly supporting our current and Next Generation athletes and coaches with the critical funds they need to pursue the podium. We support our athletes at all levels to ensure they receive top of the line resources including the coaching, training, specialized sport medicine and access to competitions that they require to reach their dreams and goals of wearing the maple leaf on their chest, representing Canada at the Olympic Games.
So to celebrate a decade since Vancouver 2010 and to help ensure our Next Generation of Olympians have the funding they need to achieve their dreams, the Canadian Olympic Foundation, Canadian Olympic Committee, Canadian Paralympic Committee and the Paralympic Foundation of Canada are partnering to reignite the glory of our most recent Olympic and Paralympic Games on home soil, with a can’t miss gala on February 22, 2020.
Held at the Vancouver Convention Centre, one of the many legacy sites from the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, you can join over 60 Olympians and Paralympians for a thrilling evening as we relight the cauldron, relive the iconic moments and magic that captured the hearts of Canadians from coast to coast to coast and recognize the lasting impact of Vancouver 2010.
All funds raised will be directed to the Canadian Olympic Foundation, the Paralympic Foundation of Canada and our National Sport Organizations to support our next generation of athletes as they continue on their path to the podium. Along with the Gala, those in British Columbia can participate in the first ever Team Canada 50/50 draw and all Canadians across the country are welcome to participate in a silent auction filled with exclusive prizes, all to benefit our future Olympians and continue the legacy for years to come.
During the day, from 11am to 6pm, a free public fan festival will be held in conjunction with the Gala at Vancouver’s Jack Poole Plaza, the site of the Olympic Cauldron and part of the Vancouver Convention Centre, which was the International Broadcast Centre during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
Vancouver 2010 ignited a fire within us all. It brought Canadians together in a way no other Olympic Games had. It was our Games. And now, a decade later we invite you to celebrate ten years of revolutionizing sport in Canada. Relive all the moments that are etched in history forever – Sidney Crosby’s golden goal, Alexandre Bilodeau’s first gold medal won on home soil, Joannie Rochette’s heartbreaking story of losing her mother, followed just days later by her brave bronze medal win. These are all epic moments in Canadian history that we remember exactly where we were, who we were with, and retelling those stories for years to come to family and friends, reminiscing the glory and excitement. Passing on the pride, the glory and the wonder that our athletes instilled in each one of us.
With Tokyo 2020 around the corner, and Los Angeles 2028 before you know it, you can make a difference in many of our athlete’s lives, helping them become the heritage moments of our future, to pass on to generations just as we have with the moments of Vancouver 2010. Join us in celebrating the past, present, and future of the Olympic Movement and sport philanthropy in Canada. After all, we are all Team Canada.
For more information on how you can attend the Vancouver 2010 Celebration Gala, buy a table to the momentous event, attend the Fan Festival, or make a donation to the future of Team Canada, please visit Vancouver2010.ca