Policy implementation and collaboration in a federated sport system: the case of the official languages act

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to explore the Official Languages Act’s implementation and impact on collaboration between national sport organisations (NSOs) and Quebec provincial/territorial sport organisations (P/TSOs) in the Canadian sport system. Using the policy implementation process model as the theoretical framework, data were gathered through interviews with executives from 22 Quebec P/TSOs. Publicly available documents from the P/TSOs and their respective national-level counterparts were also collected. Interview data were thematically analysed and results suggest NSOs successfully implementing the Act had better collaborations with their provincial counterparts located in Quebec than those failing to do so. Researchers should consider the impact of bilingual-based policies and language on collaborative governance. Beyond NSOs purposefully hiring bilingual staff members, Sport Canada should implement more policy enforcement activities.