Red Deer Polytechnic, Canadian Sports Institute Alberta, and Canadian Paralympic Committee launch new collaborative research network
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 5th, 2025
CALGARY/RED DEER – With the next Paralympic Games on the horizon, Canada is taking a major step toward building a more connected and inclusive sport system for athletes with disabilities.
Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP), the Canadian Sport Institute Alberta (CSIAB), and the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) have joined forces to launch the Para Sport Research and Accessibility Collaborative Hub (PARAREACH) — a new national network designed to unite Para athletes, coaches, researchers, and sport organizations, including partners across the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network (COPSIN) and Canada’s colleges and polytechnics, in pursuit of one shared goal: turning great ideas into real-world impact.
Backed by nearly $360,000 in federal funding through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s College and Community Social Innovation Fund (NSERC CCSIF), PARAREACH will connect lived experience with applied research through two-way knowledge exchange.
The Hub will spark innovation, share best practices, and develop practical, scalable solutions that strengthen accessibility, inclusion, and performance across the Para sport landscape.
“The core strength of RDP’s Centre for Innovation in Manufacturing – Technology Access Centre (CIM-TAC) lies in our ability to mobilize cross-functional expertise, bringing together advanced design, manufacturing, and human-centred research,” said Dr. Tonya Wolfe, Associate Vice-President of Applied Research at Red Deer Polytechnic. “PARAREACH allows us to leverage our advanced manufacturing technologies and expertise to create a space where Para athletes and researchers can learn from one another, and where ideas will move quickly from concept to real impact.”
For athletes like those training daily at COPSIN facilities, these collaborations mean faster access to advanced technology, better-informed coaching, and stronger community support. Each pilot project will bring together Para sport and applied research collaborators to tackle real-life challenges — from improving training and recovery practices to reimagining how accessibility is built into sport environments.
“This is about collaboration in its truest form,” said Dr. Erik Groves, Director of Research and Innovation at CSIAB. “It’s about listening, learning, and co-creating solutions that matter — not in theory, but in the day-to-day experiences of athletes and coaches.”
“Para sport has the power to impact so many lives and create positive social change through greater accessibility, inclusion, and innovation,” said Catherine Gosselin-Despres, Chief Sport Officer, Canadian Paralympic Committee. “As we look ahead to the next Paralympic Games, PARAREACH represents how Canada can lead through collaboration, ensuring that the experiences and insights of Para athletes continue to shape innovation at every level of our system.”
The PARAREACH Hub marks a new era for Para sport in Canada — one where science, sport, and lived experience come together to accelerate change and help every athlete compete, connect, and thrive.
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Media Contacts:
Annie Gagnon
Director, Marketing & Communications
Canadian Sport Institute Alberta
e: agagnon@csialberta.ca
| c: 613.262.9644
Brent Forster
Communications Strategist – Corporate
Red Deer Polytechnic
e: media@rdpolytech.ca
| c: 403.342.3389
Nicole Watts
Senior Manager, Communications & PR
Canadian Paralympic Committee
e: nwatts@paralympic.ca
| c: 613.462.2700