Program provides free .CA domains, website development, hosting, and support in digital strategy

OTTAWA, Aug. 5, 2016 /CNW/ - .CA, Canada's national domain name, and Web Hosting Canada, a Canadian provider of web solutions for small businesses, have partnered to help Canadian athletes ensure they are visible online in advance of the 2016 Rio Olympics and beyond. This project was launched as part of .CA's partnership with CBC Sports to tell athletes stories in their own voices through the Player's Own Voice web portal.

Key facts

• When working to gain awareness, from media, sponsors and other stakeholders a strong website and online presence can give an athlete a leg-up in securing funding and attention.
• .CA and Web Hosting Canada have worked with Monique Sullivan, a track cyclist on the Canadian Olympic team, to create a website in advance of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. You can learn more about Monique and follow her Rio travels at www.moniquesullivan.ca.
• .CA is offering Canadian Olympic and Paralympic athletes free .CA domain names, ensuring that they can protect their personal brand online.
• To help them make the most of their domains, Web Hosting Canada has donated its set of start-up web services, including hosting, a simple website builder, email, and domain name management.
• As amateur athletes, it is critical that the web set-up was simple to launch and maintain, so the athletes can focus on their pre-Rio training programs. Just like busy athletes looking for profile, .CA and Web Hosting Canada can help founders and entrepreneurs get their online presence ready for prime-time.
• .CA is helping to tell their stories of success through a partnership with CBC Sports. Find videos of athletes of discussing their stories in their own voice at www.cbc.ca/playersvoice.

Quotes

"I have always felt shy about getting online and putting my voice out here. I wasn't sure how to share my story in an interesting way. It was great to be part of this program and create an authentic online space that reflects my personality. This will help me stay in touch with the many people who have helped me achieve my goals. Hopefully it will also help raise awareness about track cycling and get more kids on bikes."

-Monique Sullivan, Canadian Olympic track cyclist  

"Athletes need to be CEOs of their own careers and part of that is learning to market and brand themselves both online and off. We're proud to be contributing our platform and expertise to help these young and emerging entrepreneurs get their online homes in order."

-Emil Falcon, CEO of Web Hosting Canada

"The .CA team is a patriotic group and we know that the links between Canada and the .CA domain are strong. This brand affinity makes it the perfect fit for athletes representing Canada on the world stage."

-David Fowler, director of marketing and communication at CIRA

Additional resources

• Find out more about how Web Hosting Canada can help athletes, businesses or bloggers get online at https://whc.ca.
• Find the perfect domain for your passion at cira.ca.
• Get inspired by athletes and their stories by visiting http://www.cbc.ca/playersvoice.

SOURCE Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA)