Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities (Jumpstart) is launching a new national initiative to help more kids access the game of soccer closer to home.
Jumpstart recently announced a multi-year commitment to build inclusive community soccer pitches across Canada by 2029. Designed to support free play, local programming and community connection, the initiative represents one of Jumpstart’s largest infrastructure investments focused on youth sport access, it said.
The first pitch officially opened recently at Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre, with a second opening planned for Surrey, British Columbia on June 5. Additional locations in Edmonton and Winnipeg are expected to follow, with up to eight pitches opening across six provinces by the end of 2026.
Jumpstart, supported by Canadian Tire Corporation, is a national charity committed to enabling lifelong success through access to sport and play for children and youth across Canada by addressing financial, physical, and systemic barriers.
Jumpstart has an extensive national network comprising more than 1,000 grantees and 289 local chapters, and is dedicated to empowering community partners in the development of inclusive programming and infrastructure for Canadian kids of all abilities. It has provided more than 4.5 million opportunities for Canadian kids to get into the game since 2005.
Soccer is now Canada’s most-played youth sport, according to Jumpstart’s State of Youth Sport in Canada report, with half of Canadian youth participating in the game. Yet, affordability continues to be one of the biggest barriers to participation, with nearly half of youth saying sport is too expensive, explained the organization.
“When kids have safe, welcoming places to play close to home, it can change their relationship with sport entirely,” said Marco Di Buono, President, Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities. “These pitches are about much more than soccer. They’re about creating spaces where kids can build confidence, feel connected, and simply have the opportunity to play.”
Built in partnership with local organizations and municipalities, the pitches are designed as welcoming, accessible spaces where kids and families can gather, play and connect close at home. Alongside free play opportunities, the spaces will also support community programming tailored to local needs, said the organization.
Through partners, including Free Play for Kids, Jumpstart added that it will work directly with communities to help shape how each pitch is activated and sustained over time.
The initiative is being advanced in collaboration with the Government of Canada through Sport Canada, alongside support from local donors, Canadian Tire Dealers and CT Real Estate Investment Trust (CT REIT). The Government of Canada is providing $2,165,000 to support the initiative, helping more children and youth access soccer from coast to coast to coast.
“Our new government is using sport as our ultimate nation-building tool – that means investing in both places and people,” said Adam van Koeverden, Secretary of State (Sport) and Canada’s FIFA Sherpa. “From the playground to the podium, sport helps young people build confidence, friendships and a sense of belonging while bringing communities together. Communities also need sport infrastructure that provides access and opportunities to play. This initiative will help remove barriers to participation and create spaces where the next generation can grow, thrive and dream big. Investments like this show how sport can unite communities and build a stronger Canada.”
Aligned with Jumpstart’s mission to enable lifelong success through access to affordable sport and play, this work supports community-based investments that expand access, particularly in communities where safe, affordable and inclusive spaces are needed most, noted the organization.
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