1.0 Quest for Gold (QFG): Ontario Athlete Assistance Program 2025-2026 (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:
a) To help athletes continue their pursuit of athletic excellence at the highest levels of national and
international competition.
b) To encourage athletes to stay in Ontario to live and train.
c) To compensate athletes for earnings lost while training.
d) To enable athletes to successfully pursue excellence in sport while fulfilling their educational goals.
e) To increase athlete access to improved high performance coaching.
f) 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 2025-2026, 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 – 2025 Senior World Championships and 2026 U17/U20 World Championships |
Funding Available for Ontario Athletes Heading to the 2025 2026 World Championships (U17 / U20 / Sen) |
Competition Support | July 2025 (Senior) / March 2026 (U17 / U20) |
Senior: Tbilissi (GEO) U17 / U20 : Rio De Janeiro (BRA) |
30 | 0 | 3 | $34,000 |
| 2) Sport Science | OFA Sport Science Program – including medical evaluations, strength & conditioning programs, and mental training – provided to OFA National Team athletes. |
Other | April 1st, 2025 / March 31th, 2026 |
Ontario | 30 | 1 | 3 | $4,000 |
| 3) Competition support for Para-athletes | Competition Support for Senior World Cups – Providing Coaching Support at Wheelchair Fencing World Cup / World Champinships. |
Competition Support | April 1st, 2025 / March 31th, 2026 |
Seoul (KOR), Sao Polo (BRA) |
1 | 1 | 1 | $3,209 |
| 4) Coaching support in World Cup and World Championships |
OFA Coaching Support for Cadet, Junior & Senior World Cups, World Championships |
Competition Support | Dec 4-15, 2025; March 2026 |
Vancouver, CAN (SWC) Germany (JWC), Rio de Janeiro (BRA) |
30 | 0 | 2 | $8,000 |
| 5) OFA training camps | International training camp: Numazu (JAP): Some of our top U13 and U15 fencers attends the international camp in Numazu, Japan, combining training and competition; OFA HP camps: held at local clubs, offer physiotherapy and top coaching, providing dedicated bout days to prepare fencers for major events |
Training Camp | July 9-15 2025, Jan 24, 2026 and May 10, 2026 |
Ontario clubs | 240 | 1 | 10 | $3,500 |
| 6) Athlete support Grant | 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 16-19, 2025 | Saint Catharines | 30 | 0 | 0 | $7,000 |
| TOTALS | 361 | 3 | 19 | $59,709 |
3.0 Ontario Fencing Association Athlete Selection Criteria:
Program 1 – Funding Support for U17/U20/ Senior 2025 / 2026 World Championships
All athletes selected to the U17/U20 national team for the 2026 World Championships in Rio de Janeiro (BRA) or at the 2025 Senior World Championships in Tbilisi (GEO) will receive this financial support.
They will need to attend a designated OFA training camp in 2025 or 2026 to be eligible for this funding.
Exemptions for training camp may be granted in cases of date conflicts with World Cup events.
The total amount will be divided by the number of athletes and coaches.
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 (CDT / JR / SR) are eligible for this program. Athletes from the 2024/2025 season are also still eligible.
Program 3 – Competition Support for Para-athletes.
This program aims to finance coaching support in 2026 IWAS World Cups.
Program 4 – Coaching support in WCs (Junior and Senior)
This program aims to provide financial support for coaching at selected World Cup events. It is closely aligned with the CFF National Program, and priority is given to coaches who are involved with the National Team.
Program 5 – OFA Training Camps
This program provides financial support for the two annual OFA training camps as well as the Numazu International Camp.
It helps cover costs such as, world-class coaching, medical services and facility rentals.
The camps supported through this program are:
• Numazu International Camp – July 2025
• Youth and HP Camp – January 2026
• Youth and HP Camp – May 2026
Program 6 – Athlete individual funding
All athletes (Cadet/Junior/Senior) who win a medal at the 2025 National Championships will be eligible for this funding, provided they attend an OFA training camp in 2025. Exemptions for training camp may be granted in cases of date conflicts with World Cup events.
Athletes who win the OFA ranking in the U15 / Cadet / Junior / Senior category will also be eligible for this funding, provided they participate in an OFA training camp in 2025.
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
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, 2025 to March 31, 2026) 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, 2025 to March 31, 2025 and/or any part of fiscal year April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026 and is no longer in receipt of Sport Canada Athlete Assistance shall not be eligible to receive Quest for Gold funding during fiscal year 2025-2026 (April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026.)
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.
