Each school will receive CAD$5,000 (£3,000/$3,700/€3,400) to support students hoping to stay in sport, and will also receive a 90-minute motivational speech from a Canadian athlete.

The grants are being used to celebrate Olympic Day today - which is marked every year on June 23 on the anniversary of Pierre de Coubertin founding the Olympic Movement in Paris.

Bert Church High School in Airdrie, Centre Wellington District High School in Fergus, École Nuvviti in Ivujivik, École Parkside School in Altona, École secondaire des Sources in Montreal and Sussex Regional High School are the schools involved.

All six applied for the grants which fall under the COC's Team Canada Impact Agenda.

"In my roles in sport and as a father, I've seen first hand the positive impact that sport has on youth," said COC chief executive and secretary general David Shoemaker. 

"But unfortunately not everyone has access to sport or its resources. 

"If we are to relentlessly pursue a safe, inclusive and barrier-free sport system, we also need to provide resources for more young Canadians to play and stay in sport. 

"We're so proud to be able to offer the Team Canada Olympic Day Grant to these schools and look forward to seeing the impact their programmes have on their students."

Jacqueline Ryan, the chief brand and commercial officer of the COC and chief executive of the Canadian Olympic Foundation, added: "We recognise our responsibility isn't just to field the best Team Canada possible at the Olympic Games, but to get more people from more backgrounds and parts of the country active and engaged in the sport community. 

"Through the Team Canada Impact Agenda, and programmes like the Team Canada Day Olympic Grant, we are delivering on our mission to transform Canada through the power of sport and ensure all Canadians have access to sport and its benefits."