Ontario is investing $16.76 million towards athletes and sporting events in the province, including supporting the continued operation of key sporting venues.

As part of the total investment, $7 million will be distributed to the TORONTO 2015 Sport Legacy Fund, which will support the ongoing operation and maintenance of key legacy facilities of the Games, including the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre, the Mattamy National Cycling Centre and the Pan Am and Parapan Am Athletics Stadium at York University. The investment will also help fund Ontario’s Quest for Gold program to support coaching, training and competitive opportunities for athletes and the 2016 Olympic Diving Trials and National Championships.

The province is also investing $9.76 million through the Quest for Gold program for athletes and sports organizations to enhance coaching, training and competitive opportunities.

The investment in the TORONTO 2015 Sport Legacy Fund brings the province’s total investments in the fund to $12 million.

“The Quest for Gold funding is tremendous news for Ontario athletes like me. Before any of us can win a medal or qualify for an international competition, we have to put in thousands of hours of training,” said Celina Toth, Canadian National Diving Champion, in a press release. “I am so grateful for this support because being able to train with the best athletes and coaches in the country, at the best facilities, will inspire me to reach my fullest potential.”