July 01, 2015 (Toronto, ON) – The Canadian Paralympic Committee launches its public service announcement (PSA) campaign today for the Toronto 2015 Parapan Am Team. The event is held in conjunction with the July 1st festivities on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

The multiplatform campaign entitled: “The Games are Tough; the Athletes are Tougher” is produced by partner agency BBDO Toronto and showcases the excitement of Paralympic sports and the toughness of Canadian para-athletes through their unique and varied stories.

“The campaign is a true reflection of our brand and the strong traits of world-class Paralympic athletes,” said Martin Richard, Executive Director of Communications and Marketing for the Canadian Paralympic Committee. “We’re thrilled to share our athletes’ powerful stories and engage Canadians through a wide variety of media including television, radio, print, digital. Not only do you get to discover the toughness of our athletes on and off the playing field, but you can test your skills at one of our experiential activations across the GTA and share it on social media using #PARATOUGH.”

Click here to listen to the radio PSA.

The television PSA takes you through the journey of Calgary para-cyclist Jaye Milley (Shelley Gautier runs July 13) while the radio spots highlight what it takes to be an elite athlete in swimming, rugby and athletics. A large variety of print ads, from full-page magazine to large format billboards, will provide a snapshot of the strong athleticism of our para-athletes.

In addition, a series of short web based films featuring several athletes from different sports will be launched daily starting on July 1st. (see schedule below or click here).

“I’m confident that this campaign will generate plenty of excitement amongst Canadians towards our Parapan Am Team. Knowing that the entire country will be cheering on our athletes will inspire them to achieve great performances at the Games in Toronto,” said Elisabeth Walker-Young, Chef de Mission for Team Canada and retired Paralympic swimmer.”

“Sports fans across Canada are gearing up for an exciting summer during this Year of Sport in Canada. Starting in just over a month, the Toronto 2015 Parapan American Games will be an unprecedented opportunity to introduce Canadians to our top para-athletes and spread the word about the strength of the Paralympic movement in Canada,” said The Honourable Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport). The stories of our Parapan Am Games athletes will inspire and encourage Canadians of all abilities to participate in sport and physical activity. I invite all Canadians to get involved with the Games, whether by attending them in person, tuning into the coverage on CBC and Radio-Canada, or sharing the excitement on social media.”

Team Canada athletes are currently putting the final touches to their preparation for the Parapan Am Games set for Toronto from August 7-15, 2015.