The program updates in 2025 build upon RBC Training Ground’s long-standing commitment to help enable inclusion in sport. Examples of previous efforts include:
- In 2021, amidst the global pandemic, RBC Training Ground developed ‘virtual qualifying’ – a way for athletes to participate in the program from the comfort of their own home using basic equipment and a stable internet connection. The program has maintained virtual qualifying options for any athlete who is unable – geographically or otherwise – to attend an in-person event.
- In 2023, RBC Training Ground launched custom testing events for the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) provincial delegations, including Alberta and Saskatchewan, as they prepared for NAIG 2023.
- In 2024, the program hosted qualifying events in new markets including Ontario’s Northern (Sudbury) and Durham (Whitby) regions, with the prioritization of reaching talent who have not always had the same / equal access to participate (e.g., Indigenous and racialized communities, geographically isolated groups, others).