Canada Games

Canada Games
Running competitions during the 2001 Canada Games in London, Ontario
Status	active
Genre	sports event
Frequency	biennial
Location(s)	various
Country	Canada
Inaugurated	1967 (1967) (winter) 1969 (1969) (summer)
Organised by	Canada Games Council

The Canada Games (French: Jeux du Canada) is a high-level multi-sport event, formerly 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

Portail de la Promesse was erected in the Lawson Heights neighbourhood in Saskatoon during and to commemorate the 1989 Canada Games

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 Winnipeg, Manitoba, between July 28 and August 13, 2017.

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.

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 City, Quebec
1969			II	Halifax and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
1971	III	Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
1973			IV	New Westminster and Burnaby, British Columbia
1975	V	Lethbridge, Alberta
1977			VI	St. John's, Newfoundland
1979	VII	Brandon, Manitoba
1981			VIII	Thunder Bay, Ontario
1983	IX	Saguenay and Lac Saint-Jean, Quebec
1985			X	Saint John, New Brunswick
1987	XI	Sydney, Nova Scotia
1989			XII	Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
1991	XIII	Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
1993			XIV	Kamloops, British Columbia
1995	XV	Grande Prairie, Alberta
1997			XVI	Brandon, Manitoba
1999	XVII	Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador
2001			XVIII	London, Ontario
2003	XIX	Bathurst and Campbellton, New Brunswick
2005			XX	Regina, Saskatchewan
2007	XXI	Whitehorse, Yukon
2009			XXII	Summerside and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
2011	XXIII	Halifax, Nova Scotia
2013			XXIV	Sherbrooke, Quebec
2015	XXV	Prince George, British Columbia
2017			XXVI	Winnipeg, Manitoba
2019	XXVII	Red Deer, Alberta
2021			XXVIII	Niagara Region, Ontario [3][4]
2023	XXIX	Prince Edward Island*
2025			XXX	Newfoundland and Labrador*
2027	XXXI	Yukon*
2029			XXXII	New Brunswick*
2031	XXXIII	, Northwest Territories*
2033			XXXIV	Nunavut*
2035	XXXV	Saskatchewan*

* The host cities have not been chosen for the games after 2021 but the provinces through 2035 have.^[5]

Summer sports

Sports for the 2017 Canada Games in Winnipeg, MB.^[6]

Winter sports

The winter games include some sports not associated with winter. Sports for the 2015 Canada Games in Prince George, British Columbia.^[7]

Former sports

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

For per Games medal standings see List of Canada Games.

See also

• Quebec Games
• Western Canada Summer Games

References

External links

• Official site