2011 Canada Games

The 2011 Canada Winter Games start in just 3 days time with the Opening Ceremony slated for Friday, 12 February 2011 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. And wow, how far the Games have come! It all started in the winter of 1967 in Quebec City as part of Canada's Centennial celebrations, when 1800 athletes from 10 provinces and two territories joined together in what was to become the first of many of the largest multi-sport competitions for young athletes in Canada. 2011 will be the 23rd Canada Games, alternating between winter and summer every 2 years.

Besides being a national celebration for sport and culture, the Canada Games provide that all important stepping stone and experience in the development of athletes in the Canadian sports system. Since 1967, over 100,000 athletes have participated in the Games with hundreds of thousands having been involved in try-outs and qualifying events. For some, it’s the highlight of their athletic career, while for others, it’s just the beginning.

Of course the athletes receive medals, but as a provincial or territorial team, they compete for all the marbles, which is the Canada Games Flag. Points are awarded in every sport based on performance and participation and the team with the greatest number of points from all events is declared the champion and presented with the Canada Games Flag. Team Ontario has practically owned the Canada Games Flag since the beginning, winning all but four Flags (Quebec has won the Flag three times in 1975, 1979, 2003, and British Columbia won it once in 1973).

The legacy the Games leave is not just for the athletes, but for the city that hosts the events. Over 300 new and existing sports venues have benefited from hosting a Canada Games, with 500 venues being upgraded to national standards so that they may host other national and world class events.

Join in on the celebration of the Games this year (schedule)! In addition to the television broadcast coverage on TSN and RDS, for the first time ever, the Canada Games will also feature live webstreaming coverage for the majority of the sports on the program.

For more information on the Canada Games check out SIRC’s Canada Games 2011 page.