Expanding Refugee Employment in Canadian Sport and Recreation

Northpine Foundation has invested in Inclusion in Canadian Sports Network’s employment program to help refugees across Canada access stable jobs in amateur sport and recreation. The initiative responds to ongoing labour shortages in community sport, aquatics, and recreation—where facilities and organizations struggle to hire lifeguards, referees, officials, coaches, and program staff—while creating accessible employment pathways for refugees who face barriers like limited sector knowledge, weak professional networks, and lack of Canadian experience.

Building on a successful Northpine-supported cohort that surpassed refugee employment outcome targets ahead of schedule, the follow-on program provides individualized support for training, certification, screening, and job readiness across pathways including lifeguarding, sport officiating, municipal parks and recreation, sport logistics, and coaching support. Participants receive certification coverage, resume development, interview preparation, and workplace-readiness coaching, followed by placement with municipalities, sport organizations, recreation associations, and professional sport foundations.

The initiative aims to support refugees into employment while testing national scale-up into new regions, including Atlantic Canada. ICSN will continue providing networking and advancement support after placement, helping participants progress into higher-level officiating, coaching, recreation, or sport administration roles.