Sports including boxing, bobsleigh and skeleton and gymnastics have all been hit by controversies in Canada in recent months.

COC chief executive and secretary general David Shoemaker said athletes and sporting leaders had agreed that the "current situation in our system is untenable" and vowed to make changes thanks to the investment.

It hoped the funding boost will help to "build a healthy, safe and barrier-free sport system" in Canada.

"We all want a safe and accessible system that also produces results on the world’s stage," said Shoemaker at the COC’s annual Session in Montreal.

"To get there, we need to work collaboratively to find and implement solutions.

"This contribution underscores the COC’s commitment to a safe and barrier-free sport system, now and in the future."

The COC claimed the investment reaffirmed its commitment to playing a "leadership role" in tackling matters that affect the health, performance and well-being of Canadian athletes.

It also admitted that the move was "inspired by a call to action" from Canadian Sports Minister Pascale St-Onge.

"We need to engage the entire sport community in our efforts to create a safer Canadian sport environment," said St-Onge.

"This is a collective problem that requires a collective solution.

"I commend the Canadian Olympic Committee for being proactive and recognising the need to act urgently on the issue of safety and well-being in sport.

"We must keep working together and building on what has already been done collectively to make sure that our athletes are able to thrive in a sport environment that is free of abuse, harassment, discrimination and mistreatment."

St-Onge confirmed in April a CAD16 million (£9.7 million/$12.6 million/€11.7 million) Government investment in sport safety, with the funding partially directed at the implementation of the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre which will be Canada's independent mechanism for reporting safeguarding concerns in sport.

Canada has seen several safeguarding storms of late, with Daniel Trépanier last month quitting as high-performance director of Boxing Canada following allegations that he oversaw serious safety and culture failures.

More than 230 former and current boxers signed an open letter demanding for Trépanier’s resignation.

It is alleged that homophobic and sexual comments were common inside the high-performance programme, athletes were forced to fight with concussion symptoms and favouritism regularly impacted team selection.

Dozens of current and past athletes also called on Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton (BCS) leaders including President Sarah Storey and high-performance director Chris Le Bihan to resign, citing a "toxic" culture and governance failures.

They remain in office and athletes have this month complained about non-disclosure clauses in their BCS contracts.

Such a clause "goes against the very principle of safe sports", St-Onge told The Canadian Press as BCS leaders continue to face criticism over their treatment of athletes.

Meanwhile, more than 300 athletes requested an independent investigation into a "toxic culture and abusive practices" at Gymnastics Canada.

The COC pledged to continue to engage with elected athlete representatives, sporting leaders, Sport Canada, the Coaching Association of Canada and the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner to "identify and inform specific areas for investment".

"This is an important announcement from the COC, and an encouraging step in the right direction for the entire Canadian sport system," added Rosie MacLennan, two-time Olympic trampoline champion and chair of the COC Athletes’ Commission.

"In order for athletes to perform at their best, we need a system that is safe, equitable, and that puts the mental and physical health of athletes at the centre. 

"This new funding and the commitment to work with the athlete community will help make that a priority."