The RCAF Flyers

In 1947 the Canadian Olympic Committee, phoned the President of the Royal Bank of Canada and asked for help in getting the Canadian Olympic team to the St. Moritz 1948 Olympic Winter Games.  Canada’s RCAF Flyers had a great chance for gold, if only they could get to the Games. Royal Bank agreed and the team was off to St. Moritz.  There they stunned their competitors, winning gold for Canada.  From that day forward, RBC Financial Group has been a proud supporter of the Canadian Olympic team and Canadian athletes.

A WORD FROM RBC

RBC has been involved with the Canadian Olympic Movement since 1947 and is the longest-standing corporate supporter of Canada's Olympic team. Our sponsorship includes support for the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic teams from 2005 until 2012.

RBC supports amateur sport in communities across Canada, from recreational to competitive activities, and from grassroots to elite-level athletes. We sponsor the following sport associations in Canada:

• Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games
• Canadian Olympic Committee
• Canadian Paralympic Committee
• Hockey Canada
• Canadian Freestyle Ski Association
• Canadian Snowboard Federation
• Athletics Canada
• Special Olympics Canada 

RBC works closely with the sport associations to develop programs to educate youth and others on the merits of sport in Canada, while also providing them with an opportunity to participate, encouraging healthy active lifestyles.  These include:

In 2002, RBC introduced a program to recruit and hire both current and retired Olympic and Paralympic athletes to work for RBC as community ambassadors to bring the Olympic messages of excellence, teamwork, leadership, and commitment to our communities.  Athletes are hired from across Canada, and during the course of their employment, gather skills and experiences that will help them find a career for life after sport. The program also provides the athletes much needed funding, allowing them to focus on training and competition.

The Canadian Olympic School Program, presented by RBC, is a school-based program designed to promote the Olympic Values including excellence, leadership, respect, and fairness, and the importance of health and physical activity. Developed for teachers and by teachers, the Canadian Olympic School program is a free online teacher and student resource (www.olympicschool.ca) that offers engaging information about the Olympic Games and Canadian athletes as a tool to educate, motivate and inspire students. RBC complements the program by having its RBC Olympians visit select schools across the country to share their real-life experiences.