Western Canada Games

Chefs and Assistant Chefs de Mission met in Kamloops from April 11-14 to meet with the Host Society, reviewing plans for the Summer Games to be held ion August, 2011.   Overall, the Chefs agreed that Kamloops shows good preparation.   A list of items to be addressed was developed and are being followed up over the next month.   Chefs attend Conference Calls with the Host Society staff each month and Action Items are discussed.  

Provincial and Territorial teams are in the process of working with their provincial and territorial sport organizations to have their athletes, coaches, and managers chosen for their P/T teams.   Once these participants are chosen, they will register for the Games through the Host Society's web portal.   In support of the participants will be Mission staff who oversee team transportation, uniforms, media services, liaison to medical needs, information technology, and team support.   Each Chef will have a team of 10-20 Mission staff to support the participants before and during the Games.  

The Host Society and the Chefs work collaboratively on their separate, but interdependent plans to prepare for the Games.   Everyone is gearing up for the Games, now just 108 days away!

Some of us were able to travel to the 2011 Canada Winter Games in Halifax.    Halifax was awarded the Games in 2006 and in a little more than a week, the Games will be completed and part of Canada Games history.   The next Canada Games is in August of 2013 in Sherbrooke, Quebec, followed by the Winter Games in Prince George, B.C.   The Games alternates summer then winter with a new host province every two years.

The Western Canada Games is a summer Games only, modeled on the Canada Games.   It was developed by the four western provinces and territories to provide additional development opportunities for young athletes.    The sport age classes are chosen in such a way to allow P/T athletes a chance to compete in the Western Canada Games, then two years later in the Canada Summer Games.   The athletes who compete in the 2011 Games in Kamloops also may be chosen to compete in the 2013 Games in Sherbrooke.

Athletes like Steve Nash (Kamloops, 1993) and Sidney Crosby (Chaleur, 2003) competed in the Canada Games and many athletes of their caliber across the 19 sports will compete in the Western Canada Games, then the Canada Games before going on to Pan Am Games, Commonwealth Games, and the Olympics.

The process of determining which community will host the 2015 WCSG is well underway.   Five communities are in the process of completing a written bid document, which is due on April 1st.   Once bids are submitted Western Canada Games Council and the Province of Alberta will start the evaluation and site visit process.   A host community will be chosen before the 2011 Summer Games in Kamloops.

Which communities are in the bid process?

One of these communities will be the host of the 2015 Western Canada Summer Games:

·         Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo

·         City of Airdrie

·         Lakeland Region (inc. M.D. of Bonnyville, Cold Lake and Bonnyville)

·         City of Lethbridge

·         City of Medicine Hat

Bidding for a large multi-sport Games is always a challenging and exciting process.   We wish all 5 communities good luck with their bids.  

Athletes, coaches, and managers have completed registration for the 2011 Canada Winter Games in Halifax and now are just finishing the last part of their training and preparation for the Games.   The Games run from Feb. 11- 27, 2011.

Week One Sports

• Artistic Gymnastics
• Biathlon
• Curling (W)
• Hockey (M)
• Ringette
• Target Shooting
• Freestyle Skiing
• Speed Skating
• Squash
• Wheelchair Basketball

Week Two Sports:

• Archery
• Alpine Skiing
• Badminton
• Boxing
• Cross Country Skiing
• Curling (M)
• Figure Skating
• Hockey (W)
• Judo
• Snowboarding
• Synchronized Swimming
• Table Tennis

More information on the Games can be found at the Host Society website (link)

Tickets and merchandise for the Kamloops 2011 Western Canada Summer Games are now on sale!  Tickets, Games attire and Sage and Marigold plush toys can be purchased online by going to the Games website at www.2011wcsg.ca, Kamloops Live Box Office and Mark’s Work Warehouse.

Alberta will be hosting the 2015 Western Canada Summer Games in August 2015. The Honourable Cindy Ady, Minister of Tourism, Parks and Recreation has extended an invitation to Alberta communities with a population over 25,000 to bid to host the 2015 Western Canada Summer Games.

The Bid deadline for a letter confirming Intent to Bid has now passed and a number of Alberta communities are currently in the bid preparation phase.   The Host for the 2015 Western Canada Summer Games will be determined before the 2011 Games in Kamloops in August.

The next Games for each of the Provinces and Territories will be the Canada Winter Games in Halifax, Feb. 11-17th.   

Halifax Games Website

Best of luck to the 7 Western Provinces and Territories!