Special Olympics Ontario (SOO) is a volunteer-driven organization with over 20,000 athletes and 10,000 volunteers registered across the province.
In the Ottawa area, programs run year-round, almost every day of the week, and take place in schools, community centres, parks, and sports facilities throughout the city. Special Olympics Ottawa is a community of over 500 athletes and more than 300 volunteers, offering more than 30 programs across 25 sports.
We welcome athletes as young as 2 years old, beginning with Active Start and FUNdamentals, where children build basic movement skills and confidence through play. As athletes grow, they can participate in Youth Multisport (ages 13–21), where they explore a variety of sports and continue developing their abilities.
At the heart of Special Olympics Ottawa are our core sport programs, aimed toward athletes 13 and older find their potential through meaningful training and competition!
Every facet of our community is dedicated to enriching the lives of people with intellectual disabilities through sport.
The main registration for Spring/Summer 2026 programs is now closed. Any remaining spots are limited to select programs only and will be offered on a first come- first served basis by clicking on the registration link below.
Coaches will be contacting anyone who registered between 1-30 April before the planned start date of each program.
For athletes who were successfully registered through the lottery:
Coaches will be in contact with you to confirm successful registration and provide you with program details. This includes:
start date,
times,
location, and
any other expectations such as what to wear and bring
For athletes who were not successfully registered through the lottery:
Coaches will contact you to confirm that you have not been entered into the program yet. The coach will let you know if your name has been added to a waitlist and information about refunds.
Should additional spots be available in any of the Spring/Summer 2026 Programs, additional opportunities to register will be communicated here (through this website).
See our registration FAQs and Registration Form: Ottawa - Forms and Resources
We're looking for some awesome volunteers to join the SOO - Ottawa family! There are a variety of volunteer positions to choose from. Check out how you can volunteer with us.
Click below for resources, tips and ideas to stay healthy from home!
Tips, tricks and challenges to help you connect with your friends, coaches and Special Olympics while practicing social distancing.
Virtual activities and challenges you can do to stay active and fit from home!
Tools and resources to maintain the mental health of the Special Olympics community.
Information to help you understand COVID-19 and help you stay safe.
Special Olympics Ontario - Ottawa supports more than 650 athletes with intellectual disabilities. We're dedicated to enriching the lives of Ottawans with an intellectual disability through sport by promoting respect, acceptance, inclusion and human dignity. Our athletes have competed at the local, provincial, national and world levels, and this wouldn't be possible without the generous support of our community.