Quest for Gold

Quest for Gold (Q4G) is the Ontario Athlete Assistance Program (OAAP) that provides financial support for Ontario’s amateur high performance athletes. It is funded by the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport (MTCS) and is operated through the Sport, Recreation & Community Programs division.

Quest for Gold has specific objectives:

  • To help athletes continue their pursuit of athletic excellence at the highest levels of national and international competition;
  • To encourage athletes to stay in Ontario to live and train;
  • To compensate athletes for earnings lost while training during their summer school break;
  • To enable athletes to successfully pursue excellence in sport while fulfilling their educational goals;
  • To increase athletes’ access to high performance coaching; and
  • To enhance training and competitive opportunities available to athletes.

Quest for Gold is directly related to the High-Performance Sport goal listed in the Canadian Sport Policy issued by the federal government which identifies that Canadians are systematically achieving world-class results at the highest levels of international competition. Quest for Gold caters to this idea by improving the performance and number of Ontario athletes performing at the national and international level, thereby contributing to the improved performance of our country in international competition. The program provides direct financial assistance to Ontario athletes through an “Ontario Card” designation.

The intent of the Quest for Gold program is to provide funding to individual athletes based on their demonstrated commitment to sport, allowing them to pursue athletic excellence at the highest levels of national and international competition. Many OBSA athletes who receive Quest for Gold funding go on to represent Canada in international competition, including the Paralympics. You can support our athletes by buying Quest for Gold lottery tickets at your local OLG Outlet.

2019-2020 Quest for Gold – Ontario Athlete Assistance Program

The program supports coach development initiatives through the Coaches Association of Ontario, program development initiatives through the Canadian Sport Centre Ontario and directly supports athletes in two ways – firstly, it supports any Canada Card applicants who are permanent residents of Ontario and currently receiving Sport Canada Athlete Assistance; and secondly, it supports Ontario Card applicants who have been nominated and approved for funding by their respective provincial sport organizations.

OBSA is the provincial entity responsible for athlete carding in athletics, goalball and powerlifting. The Ontario Card Program deadlines for all sports are annually in October. ALL sports fall into one cycle.

Important Dates:

Posting of Selection Criteria – February 28, 2020

Application Deadline – April 5, 2020*

Draft List of Nominations Posted – April 8, 2020

Appeal Deadline –  Athlete wishing to appeal must do so before – April 14, 2020

Final list of nominated Ontario Card athletes posted – May 25, 2020

2019-2020 Quest for Gold FINAL LIST

Ontario Blind Sports Association is pleased to announce the final list of athletes and alternates who have been selected for Ontario Cards under the 2019-2020 Quest for Gold – Ontario Athlete Assistance Program (OAAP). The athletes nominated were selected using the sport specific selection criteria developed by Ontario Blind Sports Association and applied by the PSO Selection Committee.

Goalball

  • Emilee Schevers
  • Alecs Dobaczewski
  • Liam Howell
  • Ethan LaCroix
  • Nader Ibrahim
  • Kyle Brunet

Athletics

  • George Quarcoo
  • Dylan Hermans
  • Nicholas Neri
  • Radane Wright
  • Bianca Borgella
  • Joshua Roberto

Powerlifting

  • Tim Ekert