Canada Games

For the defunct games manufacturing company, see Canada Games Company.
The 2001 Canada Games in London, Ontario

The Canada Games is a high-level multi-sport event with a National Artists Program held every two years in Canada, alternating between the Canada Winter Games and the Canada Summer Games. Athletes are strictly amateur only, and represent their province or territory.

The Games were first held in 1967 in Quebec City as part of Canada's Centennial celebrations. For the first time in Canada's history, 1,800 athletes from 10 provinces and two territories gathered to compete in 15 sports. Under the Games motto "Unity through Sport", these first Canada Winter Games paved the way to what is now Canada's largest multi-sport competition for young athletes.

Organization

The governing body for the Canada Games is the Canada Games Council, a non-profit private organization incorporated in 1991.[1] The individual games are run by the local host society, a non-profit private organization created for the purpose, in accordance with an agreement between the local host society, the government of Canada, the government of the province or territory, the government of the municipality, and the Canada Games Council. For example, the 2011 Halifax games were run by the Halifax 2011 Canada Games Host Society on the basis of an agreement between the host society and the Canada Games Council, Canada, Nova Scotia, and the city of Halifax. In 2015, for the first time, there was also a local host First Nation, Lheidli T'enneh. Funding for the games comes from the several levels of government together with donations and corporate sponsorships. A considerable portion of the work during the games is performed by local volunteers.[2]

History

Held every two years, alternating between summer and winter, the Canada Games are a key event in the development of Canada's young athletes. As the best in their age group, these young competitors come to the Games having trained long and hard to be among those chosen to represent their respective province or territory and compete for the Canada Games Flag and Centennial Cup. With the Canada Games poised as a key step in the development of Canada's future stars, Canada Games athletes are Canada's next generation national, international and Olympic champions.

The Canada Games and their lasting legacies continue to be the catalyst for the growth of sport and recreation across Canada.

Since 1967, over 75,000 athletes have participated in the Games with hundreds of thousands having engaged in try-outs and qualifying events. Over 100,000 coaches, officials and volunteers have been directly involved in the planning and staging of the Games. Cumulatively, $250 million has been invested in the Canada Games, about half of it in capital projects in the various host communities. From the Saint John Canada Games Aquatic Centre (1985) to the Hillside Stadium and Aquatic Centre in Kamloops, B.C. (1993); from the Corner Brook Canada Games Centre and Annex (1999) to the TD Waterhouse Stadium in London, Ontario (2001), a legacy of sports facilities has been built in over 16 communities across Canada.

The Canada Games, a celebration of youth, sport, culture and community, are the product of ongoing collaboration between the Government of Canada, provincial/territorial governments, host municipalities, the private sector and the Canada Games Council. The 2009 Canada Summer Games were hosted by the entire province of Prince Edward Island.

The most recent games took place in Prince George, British Columbia, between February 13 and March 1, 2015.[3]

Since their inception in 1967, the Canada Games have played a prominent role in developing some of Canada's premier athletes. The Games have acted as a stepping stone for many of Canada's celebrated athletes, including: Toller Cranston (1967), Bob Gainey (1971), Ian Bridge (1977), Sylvie Daigle (1979), Lennox Lewis (1983), Catriona Le May Doan (1983 and 1987), Bruny Surin (1985), Marianne Limpert, Annie Pelletier and Anne Montminy (1989), Hayley Wickenheiser and Marc Gagnon (1991), Andrea Neil (1993), Steve Nash (1993), Maryse Turcotte (1995), Alexandre Despatie (1997), Dwayne De Rosario (1997), Patrice Bernier (1997), Adam Van Koeverden (1997), Heather Moyse (1997), Jeff Francis (2001), Kara Lang (2001), Erin McLeod (2001), Jared Connaughton (2005), Sidney Crosby (2003), Steven Stamkos (2007), and Rachel Homan (2007).

The Canada Games Council is the governing body for the Canada Games. As the Games move from one host community to the next, the Council provides the continuity, leadership and support to Host Societies in key areas such as sport technical, organizational planning, ceremonies and protocol, marketing and sponsorship.

Host cities and provinces/territories

Year Canada Winter Games Canada Summer Games
No. Host city No. Host city
1967 I Quebec Quebec City, Quebec
1969 II Nova Scotia Halifax and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
1971 III Saskatchewan Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
1973 IV British Columbia New Westminster and Burnaby, British Columbia
1975 V Alberta Lethbridge, Alberta
1977 VI Newfoundland and Labrador St. John's, Newfoundland
1979 VII Manitoba Brandon, Manitoba
1981 VIII Ontario Thunder Bay, Ontario
1983 IX Quebec Saguenay and Lac Saint-Jean, Quebec
1985 X New Brunswick Saint John, New Brunswick
1987 XI Nova Scotia Sydney, Nova Scotia
1989 XII Saskatchewan Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
1991 XIII Prince Edward Island Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
1993 XIV British Columbia Kamloops, British Columbia
1995 XV Alberta Grande Prairie, Alberta
1997 XVI Manitoba Brandon, Manitoba
1999 XVII Newfoundland and Labrador Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador
2001 XVIII Ontario London, Ontario
2003 XIX New Brunswick Bathurst and Campbellton, New Brunswick
2005 XX Saskatchewan Regina, Saskatchewan
2007 XXI Yukon Whitehorse, Yukon
2009 XXII Prince Edward Island Summerside and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
2011 XXIII Nova Scotia Halifax, Nova Scotia
2013 XXIV Quebec Sherbrooke, Quebec
2015 XXV British Columbia Prince George, British Columbia
2017 XXVI Manitoba Winnipeg, Manitoba
2019 XXVII Alberta Red Deer, Alberta
2021 XXVIII Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador*
2023 XXIX Northwest Territories Yellowknife (tentative), Northwest Territories*
2025 XXX Ontario Ontario*
2027 XXXI Yukon Yukon*
2029 XXXII New Brunswick New Brunswick*
2031 XXXIII Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island*
2033 XXXIV Nunavut Nunavut*
2035 XXXV Saskatchewan Saskatchewan*

* The host cities have not been chosen for the games after 2017 but the provinces through 2035 have.[4]

Summer sports

Sports for the 2013 Canada Games in Sherbrooke, Quebec.[5]

Winter sports

The winter games include some sports not associated with winter. Sports for the 2015 Canada Games in Prince George, British Columbia.[6]

Former sports

Winter Games
  • Boxing
  • Fencing (moved to Summer program)

Participating teams

Rank Province/territory  Gold   Silver Bronze Total
1 Ontario 966 807 795 2568
2 Quebec 842 746 729 2317
3 British Columbia 542 602 587 1731
4 Alberta 360 399 481 1240
5 Saskatchewan 168 216 266 650
6 Manitoba 134 178 238 550
7 Nova Scotia 157 152 173 482
8 New Brunswick 56 65 128 249
9 Newfoundland and Labrador 16 38 67 121
10 Prince Edward Island 11 17 24 52
11 Yukon 12 20 14 46
12 Northwest Territories 7 5 8 20
13 Nunavut 0 0 1 1

List of Canada Games

Main article: List of Canada Games

For per Games medal standings see List of Canada Games.

See also

References

External links