By Dan Plouffe
The nation’s capital has hosted a number of major sports events in recent years including World Championships, but Ottawa is going after something that would up the ante even further: the 2021 Canada Summer Games.
With around 4,600 athletes, coaches and managers over the two weeks, 1,000 VIPs, 300 observers, 375 mission staff, 450 major officials, plus medical, media, family, friends and fans, the event would be double the size of the Francophone Games, which the city hosted in 2001.
“It’s pretty transformative for a city,” notes Ottawa Tourism’s Darrell Cox, one of many leading the local bid for the 17-sport competition that brings together top junior athletes from all provinces.
The Canada Games can also be transformative in the careers of the participating athletes.
“It’s not just young kids coming to compete or whatever, it’s some pretty serious competition at a pretty high level,” Cox underlines, noting the 61% of the Canadian medals at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics were won by Canada Games alumni. “It’s kind of the steppingstone for a lot of these athletes to start competing at the Olympic level.”
The Games can also help transform sports facilities, with provincial and federal governments committing significant capital dollars. Halifax’s Canada Games Centre was built in 2011, featuring pools, a fieldhouse, a track and fitness centre, plus a nearby skating oval that continues to feature free access and skate rental (including rollerblades in summer).
“Toronto was the perfect example with hosting Pan Ams last summer,” Cox indicates, referencing a new aquatics centre and velodrome amongst others, plus a sport institute home for high-performance athletes, and ongoing community coaching clinics and youth development programs. “We don’t want events that just come and go, we want to see some lasting legacy post-event.”
Ontario will be the host province in 2021, and while Toronto may seem like a frontrunner given its recent success with the Pan Am Games, it’s not quite the same ball game for Canada Games.
“The Canada Games is kind of to help communities to get to that level,” City of Ottawa sports commissioner Jody Mitic explains. “If you look at the traditional host communities, they’re usually a little bit smaller, and the Games bring such a huge benefit.
“We are just on the edge of being too big for Canada Games, but we feel as the capital that we should host it at least once.”
In 2012, Ottawa Tourism determined they’d like to try to land a marquee event of
Canada Games scope around 10 years down the road, while building a reputation as a sports event destination with other smaller-scale events before then.
When Ontario swapped the 2025 Games with Newfoundland and Labrador for 2021 last year, the prospect of hosting such a large-scale event was not daunting, Cox highlights, noting well-organized and experienced groups are already established locally to lead the charge.
“The economic impact is huge,” Cox outlines, noting the Sherbrooke 2013 Canada Games generated above $100 million in activity for the area – more than five times what the FIFA Women’s World Cup brought to Ottawa last year. “That’s a huge difference from anything we’ve ever hosted to date.”
Ottawa is in the early stages of the bid process at present. Municipalities have until May 20 to submit their letter of intent to bid. A Cambridge-Kitchener-Waterloo-Guelph alliance is a possible strong challenger.
Ottawa is already moving ahead to plan for the technical review due before Canada Day, identifying sport and non-sport venues that could be used, and potential sport directors with the help of the Ottawa Sport Council.
“We’ve had some very strong people step forward (immediately),” Mitic notes, highlighting the strong spirit of volunteerism in Ottawa.
Finalists will be selected to submit a comprehensive proposal in January 2017, with the
Games to be awarded in March or April.
“We’re going to do our best,” Mitic pledges. “This is one the Mayor is very serious about. I’m very serious about it. It’s a great opportunity.”