2015 Canada Winter Games Sports Selected

Media Release

June 15, 2009
2015 CANADA WINTER GAMES SPORTS SELECTED

(June 15, 2009) Ottawa – The Canada Games Council (CGC) is pleased to announce the final sports and disciplines selected for the 2015 Canada Winter Games, to be hosted in British Columbia.

“The Canada Games are important to the development of Canadian sport, and thus have evolved to the size where more sports vie for inclusion than any specific Games could possibly include,” says Sue Hylland President and CEO of the Canada Games Council.

The Canada Games Council’s Sport Committee followed a clear and objective sport selection process in which it analysed all sports and disciplines wishing to be included in the 2015 Canada Winter Games. The overall guidance for the sport selection process comes from the Sport Selection Policy approved by the Council’s Board of Directors. In addition to including principles for enhanced participation across the provinces and territories in the Games, and creating opportunities for under-represented groups in the Games, the Sport Selection Policy also closely reflects the Canadian Sport Policy, which states that the Canada Games are to assist in “increasing the quality and numbers of the next generation of national team athletes participating in international competition”.

The Canada Games Council’s Sport Selection Process for the 2015 Canada Games, which had been circulated to national sport organizations and government partners in February of 2009 for feedback, is committed to equitable competitive opportunities for both males and females, and offering opportunities to athletes with a disability.

In the end, six sports were pre-selected to the Games based on the sport selection process’ enhanced criteria. An extra assessment was conducted by the Sport Committee on the remaining eligible sports and disciplines which applied for inclusion.

For the 2015 Games, weighted criteria included National Sport Organization (NSO) membership, results at international major Games, number of provincial/territorial sport organizations, and Provincial and Territorial participation at national championships. The selection process also called for the Coaching Association of Canada to conduct an assessment of each sport’s coaching program, and for provincial and territorial governments to rank sports according to their own internal process and criteria.

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2015 Sport Selection –2

In the final stage of the selection, the committee also considered fitting sports within the maximum team size, the selection of disciplines or events within a sport, and the marketing appeal of the sport or disciplines.

The sports selected for the 2015 Canada Winter Games program are:

Alpine Skiing (male and female) – including para-alpine
Archery (male and female)
Badminton (male and female)
Biathlon (male and female)
Cross Country Skiing (male and female) – including para-nordic
Curling (male and female)
Figure Skating (male and female) – including events for Special Olympics athletes
Freestyle Skiing (male and female) – including a new event “Ski Cross”
Gymnastics – Artistic (male and female)
Gymnastic – Trampoline (male and female)
Hockey (male and female)
Judo (male and female)
Ringette (female)
Target Shooting (male and female)
Snowboarding (male and female)
Speedskating (male and female: long and short track)
Squash (male and female)
Synchronized Swimming (female)
Table Tennis (male and female)
Wheelchair basketball (mixed)

The Sport Committee also continued to set aside four quota positions for coach development opportunities. These development opportunities will be extended to Women in Coaching, and the Aboriginal Apprentice Coach Program.

The fifteen-month bid process to choose the host of the 2015 Canada Games begins June 17, 2009 with the official launch to be held in Richmond, British Columbia.

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Held once every two years, alternating between summer and winter, the Canada Games represent the highest level of national competition for the next generation of national team athletes and future champions. The Games have been hosted in every province at least once since their inception in Quebec City during Canada’s Centennial in 1967. The Games are proud of their contribution to Canada’s sport development system in addition to their lasting legacy of sport facilities, community pride and national unity. Since the first Games more than 100,000 young athletes have participated in the Canada Games.

The organization of the Canada Games is made possible through the tireless dedication of the local Host Society, the contribution and support of the federal, provincial/territorial and host municipal governments and the Canada Games Council. The 2009 Canada Games will take place in Prince Edward Island August 15 – 29, 2009 and the 2011 Canada Games will be held in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

For more Information Contact: Tiffany MacLaren
Marketing and Communications Coordinator
Canada Games Council
Tel: (613) 526-2320
e-mail: ac.semagadanacnull@neralcamt