Hon. Marco Mendicino to chair the new foundation focused on improving physical, mental and social health for Canadian women and girls.
May 7, 2026 [TORONTO, ON] – The Tempo announced today the launch of the organization’s inaugural philanthropic arm, the Tempo Basketball Foundation. The Tempo Basketball Foundation will begin with a focus on improving the physical, mental and social health of women and girls across Canada, fueling the important work of Tempo Impact, the team’s community platform announced in March. Tempo Impact and the Tempo Basketball Foundation will work hand-in-hand, with Tempo Impact rooted in local communities, and Tempo Basketball Foundation providing funding to support community programs.
The Foundation will be chaired by the Honourable Marco Mendicino, Senior Counsel and Strategic Advisor at Cassels and past Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney. As a long-time public servant, Member of Parliament and Minister, Mendicino is acutely aware of opportunities to address systemic gaps in services and funding across the country, in particular when it comes to women.
“Sport has always been a catalyst for community progress and the Tempo Basketball Foundation is proof of that in action,” said Mendicino. “Our mission is to unite people around the Tempo – Canada’s WNBA team – and help women and girls across the country live healthier lives physically, mentally and socially. I’m honoured to be leading this mission on behalf of the Foundation.”
“Sport has the power to unite and, more importantly, to transform lives,” said Larry Tanenbaum, owner of the Tempo. “Building a great franchise means looking beyond the game itself. Through the Tempo Basketball Foundation and the work of Tempo Impact, we have an opportunity to create lasting pathways to confidence, belonging, and lifelong health for women and girls across Canada.”
“From day one, the Tempo has been about more than basketball, it’s about impact,” said Teresa Resch, Tempo President. “The Tempo Basketball Foundation builds on our team’s commitment to supporting women and girls both on and off the court and will allow us to further fund and scale the important community-driven work of Tempo Impact, changing women’s health across Canada for the better.”
More information on the Tempo Basketball Foundation can be found at tempobasketballfoundation.com.
The Tempo will tip off their inaugural WNBA season at Coca-Cola Coliseum on May 8, 2026, becoming the league’s Canadian franchise.
About the Tempo
In May 2024, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) announced its expansion into Canada by awarding Toronto an expansion team, the league’s first outside the United States. The new team, controlled by Kilmer Sports Ventures, will begin play in the 2026 season as the WNBA’s 14th franchise. Sephora Canada and CIBC are the team’s first announced founding partners. Larry Tanenbaum, Chairman of Kilmer Sports Ventures and a 30-year veteran of building championship-caliber teams, is also Chairman of the NBA Board of Governors and Chairman Emeritus of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, which owns the NBA’s Toronto Raptors, NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs, MLS’ Toronto FC and other professional sports franchises. Under his leadership, the Raptors won their first NBA championship in 2019.