Advocacy Capacity Building Initiative (ACBI)
A national program designed to strengthen the recreation and parks sector's voice in public policy at every level of government.
Communities across Canada are navigating complex challenges related to mental and physical health, social cohesion, climate resilience, and economic uncertainty. Recreation and parks are central to addressing every one of them.
The role of recreation and parks is not consistently understood or reflected in public policy and funding decisions. The public policy conversation is crowded and fiscal pressures are real. Sectors that are not coordinated, disciplined, and evidence-informed risk being overlooked.
Recreation and parks are a necessary public good. For the sector to be valued in a way that is commensurate with what it delivers to Canadian life, we need to strengthen our collective ability to engage in public policy discussions. ACBI is how we do that, together.
ACBI is a national program designed to increase the recreation and parks sector's capacity to tell its compelling story in the rooms where decisions are made. This program builds advocacy capacity across the sector, aligns messaging and priorities, integrates data and research into a shared narrative, and coordinates engagement with decision-makers. This is not centralized advocacy. It is coordinated advocacy: mutually reinforcing activities anchored in a Collective Impact approach, delivered as a practical pilot under the renewal of the Framework for Recreation and Parks.
CPRA leads delivery in partnership with Homeward Public Affairs, who bring government relations expertise and a track record of supporting mission-driven organizations.
Open Access
For every organization in the sector, including those new to advocacy.
Advocacy 101 | Watch the recording
What advocacy is and what it is not. The role of practitioners as advocates. Building confidence and shared understanding.
Price: FREE
Leadership Cohort
For organizations ready to invest staff time in structured capacity building and align their advocacy with a national approach.
Advocacy 201 | August 12
Explore how policy moves through government, identify key decision points and pathways, and learn to recognize where and when to engage. Learn how to align advocacy strategies with real-world government processes to increase influence and improve outcomes.
Advocacy 301 | September 16
Learn to develop effective advocacy strategies, position issues for impact, and maintain message discipline across audiences and channels. Participants will walk away knowing how to craft clear, compelling narratives that build support, strengthen credibility, and advance advocacy objectives.
Advocacy in Action | October 7
Open to all Forward Together Summit delegates and registrants of ACBI. Learn how to prepare for engagement opportunities, deliver key messages effectively, and navigate real-world advocacy conversations.
Issue-Specific Discussion Groups | Multiple Dates
Connect with issue-specific experts to explore topics impacting your work. Exchange insights, discuss emerging developments, and share advocacy challenges and opportunities.
Forward Together Summit | November 16 to 18*
Registration for ACBI includes access to the Parliamentary Reception and Policy & Advocacy Lab held during the Forward Together Summit. Remote attendance to some sessions will be available. Organizations interested in attending the full Summit as a delegate should contact us for registration details.
*Please note: participation is limited to one attendee per organization.
Post-Summit Debrief | Date TBD
Whether you attended the Summit or not, join us for this virtual debrief as we reflect on our time on Parliament Hill. We'll discuss key themes and conversations, share advocacy wins and lessons learned, and explore opportunities to build on this momentum.
Price: $1,000 per organization for up to 3 attendees
*Flexible pricing options available
Register for the Leadership Cohort
Deadline to register: July 29th, 2026
Become a Champion
For organizations, agencies, and partners ready to move beyond participation and help drive the national agenda, the Champion tier offers a leadership role in advancing a critical policy priority.
As a Champion, you will work alongside key stakeholders to help shape strategic priorities, contribute to meaningful dialogue, and influence collective action. Your organization will receive registration to Summit 2.0 and participate in the Day of Action, while gaining prominent visibility through Summit recognition and co-branding opportunities across initiative materials.
Price: Starting at $25,000
Organizations interested in becoming a champion are invited to connect with CPRA directly.
The Three Policy Priorities
These federal policy areas are where coordinated sector advocacy can shift decisions. They are the focus of the Champions track, and they shape the issue-specific discussion groups in the Leadership Cohort.
Infrastructure and capital investment. The condition, capacity, and reach of the recreation and parks infrastructure that communities depend on.
Workforce development. The people who plan, deliver, and lead the sector's work, and the pipeline that sustains them.
Resilience and crisis preparedness. The role of recreation and parks in community resilience, emergency response, and recovery.
Each priority is supported by a partner who brings subject matter, delivery, and engagement expertise. We are pleased to shared that the Infrastructure and capital investment priority is supported by IAKS and RC Strategies.
