2025 was a year of significant community engagement for the Toronto Accessible Sports Council (TASC), resulting in increased awareness of our organization and expanded outreach across the Toronto region.
Although fundraising and donations declined year over year, TASC was honoured to receive the legacy funds from the Toronto Sport Council TEAM Fund. These funds will help establish an endowment to support an emerging adaptive athlete in the Toronto region. A press release announced details of the grant, with applications opening annually from March through May and the award presented during National AccessAbility Week (NAAW).
TASC continues to pursue grant opportunities, donor relationships, and corporate partnerships to strengthen long-term sustainability and expand both human and digital capacity. Ongoing Board recruitment remains a priority as we seek to fill gaps in skills and professional expertise that will support the organization’s future growth.
Awareness
Connecting Torontonians with disabilities to adaptive sport and recreation remains at the heart of TASC’s mission. Throughout 2025, we continued to prioritize initiatives that increase awareness of the Council and the services we provide.
These efforts have resulted in more meaningful engagement with the public and key stakeholders. Our outreach included an expanded digital presence as well as in-person engagement with community groups, post-secondary institutions, and public and private organizations within Toronto’s adaptive Sport, Physical Activity, and Recreation (SPAR) community.
Through these efforts, TASC has strengthened its role as a trusted connector and advocate within the adaptive sport ecosystem.
Advocacy
With the dissolution of the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) Community Use of Schools Advisory Committee due to provincial supervision of the Board, TASC was disappointed by the loss of an important forum where disability sport organizations could advocate for equitable access to school facilities.
TASC continues to advocate for fairness, equity, and accountability in permit access for stakeholders relying on TDSB facilities. Ensuring the voices of disability community sport organizations are heard remains central to our advocacy efforts.
Our collaboration with the City of Toronto and its Disability Steering Committees remained strong throughout the year. TASC contributed valuable input on parks, trails, recreation facilities, and programming across the City’s Parks and Recreation portfolio, helping advance accessibility and inclusion in municipal planning.
Convening
In March, TASC partnered with the Coaches Association of Ontario (CAO) to lead a workshop at the MLSE Foundation Change the Game Research Partner Summit. The workshop introduced participants to blind sport and challenged attendees to consider how inclusion, empathy, and skill development can be fostered both on and beyond the playing field.
In May, TASC participated in the Diversity in Sport event hosted by the Inclusion in Canadian Sports Network (ICSN), contributing to important conversations around equity and inclusion in Canadian sport.
November was especially active, with TASC participating in several major conferences and sector gatherings.
The month began with MLSE LaunchPad’s Leveraging FIFA in the World’s City: Maximizing Its Potential, which focused on opportunities and legacy planning leading up to Toronto’s hosting of the FIFA World Cup in June and July 2026.
The Ontario Sport Summit, hosted by Brock University, the University of Toronto, MLSE, and other partners, brought together academics and policy experts to address Ontario’s lack of cohesive sport policy and to explore what is needed for stronger, more sustainable leadership across the sector.
Finally, the 2026 Toronto Sport Summit returned after a six-year hiatus. TASC was proud to revive this important event in partnership with Humber Polytechnic and Community Sport Councils of Ontario. More than 175 delegates attended the full-day community sport symposium, which focused on the sustainability of community sport in all its dimensions.
Key topics included funding, volunteer engagement, coaching, policy and governance, as well as partnership and collaboration models. Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, and with committed partners, we hope to establish the Summit as an annual or biennial event.
Looking Ahead
Ongoing dialogue and partnerships with local, regional, and national organizations are helping ensure that adaptive sport and physical activity remain priorities for policymakers, health and wellness professionals, sport administrators, and coaches.
Canada’s sport system is undergoing significant transformation—from the national level to grassroots community sport. TASC believes it is essential for organizations like ours to remain at the table and help shape a system that is more inclusive, equitable, welcoming, and safe for all Canadians.
We envision a future where everyone has the opportunity to play, participate, and thrive in sport—including people with disabilities.