1.0 Quest for Gold (QFG): Ontario Athlete Assistance Program 2026-2027 (OAAP)
is funded by the Government of Ontario, through the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries (MHSTCI), and operated through the Sport, Recreation & Community Programs Division.
The overarching goal of the Quest for Gold – OAAP is directly related to the High Performance Sport goal of the Canadian Sport Policy – that Canadians are systematically achieving world-class results at the highest levels of international competition – by improving the performance and number of Ontario athletes performing at the national and international level, thereby contributing to the improved performance of Canada at international competitions.
Specific objectives of the program are:
- To help athletes continue their pursuit of athletic excellence at the highest levels of national and international competition.
- To encourage athletes to stay in Ontario to live and train.
- To compensate athletes for earnings lost while training.
- To enable athletes to successfully pursue excellence in sport while fulfilling their educational goals.
- To increase athlete access to improved high performance coaching.
- To enhance training and competitive opportunities available to athletes.
The intent of the OAAP is to provide funding to individual athletes in the sport’s Train to Train and Train to Win categories based on their demonstrated commitment to high performance sport, allowing them to continue to pursue athletic excellence at the highest levels of national and international competition.
Only those athletes that meet the required minimum performance standard detailed in this Athlete Program Selection Criteria will be considered for this program.
2.0 For 2026-2027, the MHSTCI has allocated Ontario Fencing Association a total of $59,709.00.
A minimum of 70% of the Ontario Cards will be allocated to what the MHSTCI defines as junior-aged athletes (11 to 22 years of age). A maximum of 30% of the Ontario Cards may be allocated to athletes no longer eligible for “junior athlete” status (athletes 23 and over).
The amount issued to Ontario Fencing Association will be specifically allocated to the following categories/disciplines:
| Initiative/program | Intention/purpose | Funding Focus | Date | Location | Target number of athletes | Target number of athletes with a disability (not included in Column F) | Target number of coaches | Proposed QFG funding allocated |
| 1) OFA National Team Athlete Funding – 2026 Senior World Championships and 2027 U17/U20 World Championships | Funding Available for Ontario Athletes Heading to the 2026/2027 World Championships (U17 / U20 / Senior) | Competition Support | July 2026 (Senior) / March 2027 (U17/U20) | Hong Kong (HK) for Senior / Tallinn (EST) for U17/U20 | 27 | 0 | 2 | $34,000 |
| 2) Sport Science | OFA Sport Science Program – including medical evaluations, strength & conditioning programs, and mental training – provided to OFA National Team athletes. | Athlete Testing | April 1, 2026 – March 31, 2027 | Ontario | 30 | 1 | 3 | $4,000 |
| 3) Competition support for Para-athletes | Competition Support for Senior Pan Am – Providing Coaching Support at Wheelchair Fencing Senior Pan Am. | Competition Support | October 2026 | Sao Paulo (BRA) | 1 | 1 | 1 | $3,000 |
| 4) Coaching support in World Cup and World Championships | OFA Coaching Support for Cadet, Junior & Senior World Cups, World Championships. | Competition Support | July 29 / Sept 24 / Oct 22 / Nov 29 / Dec 5 / Feb 2027 | Hong Kong / San Salvador (SLV) / San Jose (CRC) / Boston (USA) / Vancouver (CAN) / Paris (FRA) | 15 | 0 | 3 | $9,209 |
| 5) OFA training camps | OFA HP camps: held at local clubs, offer physiotherapy and top coaching, provide dedicated bout days to prepare fencers for major events. | Training Camp | February 2027 | Toronto (CAN) | 60 | 0 | 4 | $2,000 |
| 6) Athlete support Grant | Athletes who medal at the 2026 National Championships or finish first in the OFA rankings will be eligible for this grant. Participation in a High Performance training camp will be mandatory to qualify. | Competition Support | May 2026 | Quebec City (CAN) | 30 | 0 | 0 | $7,500 |
| TOTALS | 163 | 2 | 13 | $59,709.00 |
3.0 Ontario Fencing Association Athlete Selection Criteria:
Program 1 – Funding Support for 2026/2027 World Championship Athletes
All Ontario athletes selected to represent Canada at the 2027 U17/U20 World Championships in Tallinn, Estonia, or the 2026 Senior World Championships in Hong Kong will receive financial support.
The total funding available for this program will be divided equally among all eligible athletes.
Program 2 – Sport Science Program
All athletes selected in Program 1 and medal-winning athletes in SYC (U15 / CDT) / NAC (Y14 / CDT / JR / DIV1) / CAN CUP (U15 / CDT / JR / SR) are eligible for this program.
Athletes from the 2025/2026 season are also still eligible.
Program 3 – Competition Support for Para-athletes
This program aims to finance coaching support in 2027 IWAS World Cups.
Program 4 – Coaching Support for Junior and Senior World Cups
This program provides financial support for coaching at selected Junior and Senior World Cup events. It is closely aligned with the CFF National Program, with priority given to coaches involved with the Canadian National Team.
For foil, the OFA will also organize a specific development project around the Paris Marathon, including coaching support for participating Ontario athletes.
Program 5 – OFA Training Camps
This program supports two OFA training camps organized throughout the season, providing opportunities for Ontario athletes to come together, train as a group, and benefit from additional high-performance support.
Funding helps cover costs such as high-level coaching, medical and sport science services, and facility rentals.
The OFA will organize two training camps during the year, bringing together Youth and High Performance athletes at key points in the season to support their ongoing development and preparation.
Program 6 – Athlete Individual Funding
All athletes (Cadet/Junior/Senior) who win a medal at the 2026 National Championships will be eligible for this funding.
Athletes who win the OFA ranking in the U15 / Cadet / Junior / Senior category will also be eligible for this funding.
The total amount will be divided by the total number of athletes. This total per athlete will be referred to as “x”.
A coefficient will be applied to calculate the final amount per athlete:
- Senior = x * 1.4
- Junior = x * 1.3
- Cadet = x * 1.1
- U15 = x * 1
* U17 / U20 / Senior for medals at Nationals. U15 / U17 / U20 / Senior for OFA rankings.
4.0 Eligibility Criteria:
- Athlete must be a member in good standing with OFA.
- Athlete must demonstrate a commitment and dedication to a proper training and competitive program, the goal of which is to continue to train towards a national team position and Sport Canada carding.
- Athlete’s coach should be minimum Level 1 NCCP certified, or be engaged in completing this training, as determined by the PSO.
- Athlete must not be under a sanction that prohibits competition as per the Canadian Anti-Doping Policy.
- Athlete must not receive financial support from any other provincial/territorial athlete assistance program. This does not include academic scholarships, bursaries, student grants, student loans, social assistance, disability pensions, and other forms of financial assistance that have nothing to do with competitive sport.
- All athletes under the age of 18 (minimum age of 11) must have their parent or legal guardian sign their OAAP application form. Cheques will be processed in the name of the eligible athlete.
- An athlete can only be nominated to receive Quest for Gold funding in one sport.
5.0 Athletes funded through the Sport Canada AAP:
Ontario athletes who have been nominated and accepted for funding through Sport Canada’s AAP within the Government of Ontario’s fiscal year (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027) and who continue to meet AAP and OAAP eligibility requirements will automatically be considered for a Quest for Gold ‘Canada Card’.
MHSTCI will contact those athletes directly at the mailing and email addresses the athlete provided to Sport Canada. Athletes are solely responsible for ensuring that their contact information is kept accurate and up to date at all times.
An athlete who received Sport Canada AAP carding during any part of Ministry fiscal year April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027 and/or any part of fiscal year April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027 and is no longer in receipt of Sport Canada Athlete Assistance shall not be eligible to receive Quest for Gold funding during fiscal year 2026-2027 (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.)
The intent of this rule is to prevent athletes whose performance levels and rankings no longer qualify them for Sport Canada carding from taking an Ontario Card from a future national-level athlete.
6.0 National College Athletic Association (NCAA):
On August 1, 2013, the NCAA revised their By-law that previously prevented an athlete from accepting grants from a governmental entity, such as Quest for Gold. Despite this change, any athlete considering an application to an NCAA institution is strongly encouraged to contact the NCAA Eligibility Center prior to applying for QFG funding.
The onus is entirely on the athlete to determine the impact of accepting OAAP funding on current or future NCAA eligibility and to decide whether or not to accept OAAP funding.
The athlete will be required to acknowledge this onus and responsibility when signing the OAAP Ontario Card application form and agreeing to the related terms and conditions of the program.
Athletes are strongly encouraged to contact the NCAA Eligibility Center to determine the impact of Quest for Gold – OAAP funding on current or future eligibility for a NCAA scholarship or on eligibility to compete in a non-scholarship NCAA sport.
National Collegiate Athletic Association: www.ncaa.org
NCAA Eligibility Center mailing address:
700 W. Washington Street
P.O. Box 6222
Indianapolis, Indiana 46206-6222
Phone: 317-917-6222
Toll-free phone number (U.S. callers) – Customer service line – 877-262-1492
Phone number (international callers) – Customer service line – 317-223-0700
7.0 Failure to Meet Selection Criteria for Health-related Reasons
Athletes who, for strictly health-related reasons, have not achieved the standards required for nomination of carded status may be considered for nomination under the following conditions:
- The athlete has fulfilled all reasonable training and rehabilitation requirements aimed at a speedy return to full high-performance training and competition during the period of his or her injury, illness or pregnancy and, despite making every reasonable effort to attain the applicable carding standards during the year in which the injury, illness or pregnancy occurred, has failed to do so, in the view of the OFA, for reasons strictly related to the injury, illness or pregnancy.
- The Ontario Fencing Association, based on its technical judgement and that of an OFA team physician or equivalent, indicates in writing the expectation that the athlete will achieve at least the minimum standards required for carding during the upcoming carding period.
- The athlete has demonstrated and continues to demonstrate his or her long-term commitment to high-performance training and competition goals, as well as his or her intention to pursue full high-performance training and competition throughout the carding period for which he or she wishes to be renewed despite not having met the carding criteria.
