CTV News has learned that this week's federal budget will include a substantial increase in Ottawa's contribution to the Own the Podium program, credited for Canada's record gold medal haul in the Vancouver Olympics.
Thursday's budget will double Ottawa's contribution to the winter sports portion of the program from $11 million to $22 million, CTV Ottawa Bureau Chief Bob Fife reported Tuesday night.
"The athletes did well for the country and Canadians expect the government to do well for them," one unnamed government official told Fife.
Athletes and sports administrators were fearful that Own the Podium would fall prey to the spending restraints widely expected from this year's budget. The $117-million program gets more than half of its funds -- some $66 million -- from taxpayers.
Alex Baumann, the current chief technical officer and touted future CEO of the initially maligned and now much-praised program says he hopes the government will continue supporting it in this week's budget.
"We don't want to fall off the cliff after 2010," he said.
"The program has been successful. With many host nations after hosting of the Games funding is cut. We hope that the five years of the program can continue."
Baumann said government funding is an essential part of the five-year program, which is a public-private partnership involving the federal government, the Vancouver organizing committee (VANOC), the B.C. government, the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee.
But when the Vancouver Games ended, most of that funding dried up, with only $11 million from Ottawa guaranteed for winter sports.
"That's the only money today on the table," outgoing OTP boss Roger Jackson told The Canadian Press. "I hope the program continues for another four years at the level we've been able to develop it because I know we can go beyond the success that we will have. I know we can do far more with another four years to go."
The summer side has $36 million committed by the federal government going into the 2012 Games in London.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper was coy Monday about what was in store for the program in Thursday's budget.
"As you know, our government has supported world-class athletics very generously," he said. "We've not only supported the world-class athletics through the tax credit for kids sports, we've tried to encourage participation in sports at all levels. This is a basic philosophy of our government and things will be looking to continue into the future."
Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff called for the program to keep its funding.
"I can't understand the government's position on this," he said Monday. "We've had a remarkable Olympic success story and Canadians understand that by investing in the top of the pyramid of our sporting activity, we broaden the base.
"This is not a huge investment. I understand we're in a tough budgetary time but come on, let's loosen up here, let's do something great."
It would seem Canadians agree, as 74 per cent of respondents in a recent Angus Reid poll said they want an initiative like Own the Program to continue post-2010.
Baumann is a former Olympian and won two gold medals for swimming in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.
