Articles from:May 2026

• Media invited to groundbreaking ceremony at Brock University Norris W. Walker Research Farm

  Thursday, May 21, 2026 | By Brock University

  MEDIA ADVISORY — MAY 21, 2026 — R0046

  The time has come to turn the soil in preparation for groundbreaking research at the Brock University Norris W. Walker Research Farm.

  Media are invited to attend the Clean Agriculture for Sustainable Production (CASP) groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, May 29 at 10 a.m. at the Merrittville Highway farm, just south of Brock’s main campus.

  The event signals the next step in bringing this impactful sustainable agriculture project, and the farm it will call home, to life.

  CASP will advance sustainable and climate resilient agriculture in Canada, producing a state-of-the-art research site to develop clean plant materials, test innovative farm practices and support collaboration between researchers, students and industry partners.

  Additionally, the research farm, once completed, will serve as a hub for experiential learning, field research and applied innovation, providing valuable opportunities for students and industry partners.

  The CASP groundbreaking ceremony will include remarks from Brock University leaders, researchers and federal and provincial government officials.

  Interview opportunities will be available following the ceremony.

  Interested media can email Maryanne St. Denis, Associate Director, Strategic Communications, at [email protected] to confirm their attendance and arrange parking.

  What: Clean Agriculture for Sustainable Production groundbreaking ceremony
  When: Friday, May 29 from 10 to 11 a.m.
  Where: Brock University Norris W. Walker Research Farm, 2833 Merrittville Hwy., Thorold
  Who: Brock University leaders, CASP researchers, federal and provincial government officials and industry and community partners.

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews: 

  Maryanne St. Denis, Associate Director, Strategic Communications, Brock University, [email protected] or 905-246-0256

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  Categories: Media releases

• Researchers call for co-ordination of Ontario’s ‘fragmented’ sport system

  Wednesday, May 20, 2026 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE — MAY 20, 2026 — R0045

  Ontario’s sport system needs to become more professional, collaborative and organized so that access to fun, safe sport is open to all, says the lead researcher on a cross-organizational report calling for change.

  “There’s a chorus of voices getting louder and more consistent that things aren’t working well, and we need to make some changes if we want community sport to be effectively run,” says Brock University Associate Professor of Sport Management Kyle Rich.

  The Ontario Sport Summit Report, released May 19, outlines how sport is being delivered in the province in the face of increased challenges, says Rich.

  Sport at the community level in Ontario is provided by a system of non-profit and commercial organizations, including community sport clubs, training academies and sport-for-development initiatives. They are also supported by provincial organizations and public institutions, such as school boards and municipal recreation departments.

  Most provinces have a government-funded provincial multi-sport organization — for example, Sport Nova Scotia — that oversees governance, offers training and ensures compliance with government regulations, among other activities.

  Several major changes have occurred in the Ontario sport system in recent years, such as the implementation of Rowan’s Law to prevent and manage concussions, changes to the way non-profit sport organizations need to be incorporated and requirements to increase accessibility and inclusion in sport.

  However, Ontario still lacks a centralized, consistent support to guide sport delivery in the province, Rich says.

  “This means the system is becoming fragmented,” he says. “Some organizations dutifully align with governance expectations and strategic directions, while others do not.”

  Not all organizations are following expectations, Rich says, and “there is no way to ensure that checks and balances are in place to protect sport participants and ensure they have quality sport experiences.”

  With funding from the Government of Canada’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Rich and his team in Brock’s Sport and Recreation Policy Lab have been studying sport policy implementation processes across Canada and compared that to the Ontario government’s support of the province’s sport sector.

  Rich and his partners from the MLSE LaunchPad, the Ontario Sport Network and the University of Toronto then hosted the Ontario Sport Summit late last year, which brought together more than 160 representatives from a wide range of Ontario sport organizations to examine the present and future of sport in Ontario.

  Their discussions revolved around three themes: system leadership, co-ordination and sustainable investment; sport access and lifelong participation; and safe, inclusive and holistic sport.

  The resulting Ontario Sport Community Summit Report 2026 summarizes key points and makes several recommendations for sport groups and government, including:

  • Establish coalitions of school boards, municipalities, sport organizations and youth and social service agencies in efforts to lobby and advocate for sport, show the value of participation to the public and improve access to sport facilities and quality sport experiences.
  • Develop creative strategies to create new investments for sport infrastructure and programming.
  • Make sport participation more accessible across the lifespan by offering opportunities beyond traditional venues and increasing awareness of various sport programs that attract diverse participants.
  • Disseminate research knowledge to administrators, coaches, parents and communities to enhance the quality of sport delivery and increase participation.
  • Connect safe sport policies to heath, education, social services and other sectors that can support shared goals and ensure that the Universal Code of Conduct for Maltreatment in Sport is implemented and enforced throughout the sport system.

  Rich says the issue is not just academic. Ontario has more than 33,400 community sport organizations and one in seven Ontarians serve as a coach. The sport sector in the province generates $7.6 billion in gross domestic product.

  But the benefits of Ontario’s non-profit sport system extend far beyond the numbers, says Rich.

  “Many people say their sport and physical activity programs are the things that connect them to their community,” he says. “They build all kinds of friendships and social connections, contributing to their well-being and health. Sport is an important sector for the social, cultural and economic well-being of Ontario.

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  *Maryanne St. Denis, Associate Director, Strategic Communications, Brock University, [email protected] or 905-246-0256

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  Categories: Media releases