Industry News Wire

 


Tennis Canada partners with City of Burnaby to build world-class tennis facility

Western Canada Tennis Centre to play a key role in developing tennis in Canada while benefiting the health and well being of Lower Mainland citizens

BURNABY, BC, Aug. 14, 2018 /CNW/ – Tennis Canada, in partnership with the City of Burnaby, is pleased to announce a partnership agreement that will see the development of the Western Canada Tennis Centre (WCTC).

The facility will be located within the Burnaby Lake Sports Complex and will house approximately 12 indoor courts and 12 outdoor courts. The facility will also feature ancillary training and fitness facilities including a strength and conditioning centre, a physiotherapy clinic, sport analytics room, along with change rooms.

The state-of-the-art WCTC will be a multi-use tennis facility providing community access to a broad base of programs for all age groups and skills including persons with a disability, while also housing the junior national training program in Western Canada and a training program for top BC athletes, including wheelchair athletes.

“This facility will see tennis being played by children, youth, families and seniors, regardless of their age, ability or aspiration. The WCTC will enhance Burnaby’s reputation as Canada’s leading sports and recreation city, and it will be a welcome addition to the Burnaby Lake Sports Complex,” said Derek Corrigan, Mayor of Burnaby.

The centre will offer a much needed daily training environment for Tennis Canada’s national junior training program and national wheelchair program. Community participants from Burnaby and the Lower Mainland will be able to train and play alongside some of Canada’s best “next generation” tennis athletes.

“Tennis Canada and the City of Burnaby have a shared vision for a Western Canada Tennis Centre and today marks an important step in making that vision a reality,” said Michael Downey, President and CEO, Tennis Canada. “The Lower Mainland is a hotbed for recreational tennis and adding more indoor courts will allow for greater year-round play. On behalf of Tennis Canada, I have the pleasure of thanking Mayor Corrigan and the City of Burnaby for becoming our doubles partner to grow the game and contribute to the future success of Canadian tennis.”

“The Burnaby Lake Sports Complex is the perfect location for a Western Canada Tennis Centre and athletes from the Lower Mainland will benefit from the resources and programming. I look forward to returning home to train with some of Canada’s “next generation” high-performance players,” said Rebecca Marino, WTA player and resident of British Columbia.
In the months ahead, design renderings and cost estimates will be developed along with a comprehensive fundraising campaign to support the facility.

About Tennis Canada
Founded in 1890, Tennis Canada is a non-profit, national sport association with a mission to lead the growth of tennis in Canada and a vision to become a world-leading tennis nation. Tennis Canada owns and operates the premier Rogers Cup presented by National Bank WTA and ATP World Tour events, the National Bank Cup WTA event, 10 professional ITF-sanctioned events and financially supports 12 other professional tournaments in Canada.

Tennis Canada operates national junior training centres/programs in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Calgary. Tennis Canada is a proud member of the International Tennis Federation, the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Canadian Paralympic Committee and the International Wheelchair Tennis Association, and serves to administer, sponsor and select the teams for Davis Cup, Fed Cup, the Olympic and Paralympic Games and all wheelchair, junior and senior national teams. Tennis Canada invests its surplus into tennis development.

SOURCE Tennis Canada
For further information: Jo Anne Stayner on behalf of Tennis Canada, joanne@getfreshpr.com, (604) 603-0657; For further information: Dave Ellenwood on behalf of the City of Burnaby, dave.ellenwood@burnaby.ca, (604) 294-7102

 


 

Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance Announces Launch of the Transition Plan Template (TPT)

The Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance is pleased to announce the launch of the Transition Plan Template (TPT), the most recent addition to its toolbox of industry tools available to CSTA members.  Produced with the support of the Canadian Olympic Committee’s NSF Enhancement Initiative, the Template provides an overview of a variety of steps to ensure a smooth transition from a bid committee to an organizing committee in a coordinated, chronological fashion.

The TPT has been developed to:

  • Ensure that all MSO/NSO obligations, international Rights Holder obligations and commitments made during the bid phase are met
  • Identify the optimal structure for the Transition Committee and the Local Organizing Committee (LOC)
  • Address, before beginning to organize the event, the highest priority organizational issues
  • Provide a critical path for the first phases of the LOC to ensure that the highest priority tasks are performed in order of importance
  • Understand the human, equipment and financial resources required for the project
  • Provide a preliminary planning document to the LOC.

“The Template is another valuable tool that will assist our sport and community members to facilitate the transition from the bidding process to the formation of an organizing committee following a successful bid”, said Rick Traer, CEO.  “As is the case with many of our other tools, the TPT can be adapted for major multi-sport games or other single sport championships at the international or national levels.”

A copy of the Template is available in the Members Only section of the CSTA website at the following link: www.canadiansporttourism.com

 


Go big or go home – The story of the Gordie Howe Sports Complex

On March 31, 1928, Gordie Howe was born in the small town of Floral, Saskatchewan. At just nine days old, he and his family moved to Saskatoon where he would be raised. Little did anyone know this young boy would change the game of hockey — forever. Gordie passed away in 2016 at the age of 88, but not before putting up the kind of fight he is now famous for. In his career he scored 801 goals, a record that stood until 1994. His supreme performance on the ice earned him a reputation as a hockey powerhouse.
When he finally retired in 1980, his iconic number 9 was retired along with him. As a tribute to Gordie, we’ve memorialized the revered number 9 in the GHSC logo. His incredible legacy and Saskatoon roots are the reason we chose him to be our namesake.

In 2012, a group of eight community volunteers met and formed a group known as the Friends of the Bowl Foundation (FOBF). The original goal was to upgrade a football facility that was built in 1960 and had not seen any meaningful upgrades since it opened. The grass field was a legend itself, as it assumed the texture of asphalt when temperatures dipped below freezing late in the Saskatchewan football season. Phase One of the project included fundraising efforts to install artificial turf, upgrading field lighting, installing a new score clock, and building a clubhouse with dressing rooms at Saskatoon Minor Football Field (formerly known as the Gordie Howe Bowl). By 2014, these goals were realized and the hours of usage at the field increased from 160 hours, to 1,600 hours annually.

After the success of the Saskatoon Minor Football Field upgrades, donors appealed to the FOBF to be big and bold. The time was right to develop a major sports complex for Saskatoon that would enable participants of all ages to use the facilities and to give Saskatoon another tool to help attract sport events.

The new master plan at the Gordie Howe Sports Complex is a $62 million project that will see 5,000 seats installed at Saskatoon Minor Football Field. A new 90,000 square foot indoor training facility will feature indoor turf fields for softball and baseball, as well as strength and conditioning coaches for athletes. A 400 metre outdoor track and field facility will be installed for use in the summer, and converted to a 400 meter outdoor long track speed skating oval in the winter. A new multi-sports operation centre, upgraded baseball and softball diamonds, facilities for Nordic skiing, and an additional outdoor turf field will complete this master plan.

The sport hosting capacity of Saskatoon will greatly increase with this project and we’re excited for the future of sport in our city. For more information about the master plan, visit www.gordiehowesportscomplex.ca.

Projected Completion Date: 2019

 


Is Your Sport Organization Supporting Your Athletes to Become Social Media Influencers?

In today’s social media world, high performance athletes can build their own brand, becoming role models and influencers very quickly. It comes naturally to some, while others need support to navigate the mine fields of social media.

Often overnight an athlete can gain thousands of Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat followers. Some may be prepared for the onslaught while others can use guidance and assistance to cope with the attention and to position themselves as an influencer in the social media marketplace.

Is your National Sport Organizations prepared to support your athletes in building their following and developing their unique brand? Are you connecting the star power of athletes’ social media presence to leverage sponsor relationships, promote events, draw people to the sport and encourage participation?

Ottawa’s new sponsorship conference can provide you with the tools to support your athletes and also kick your sponsorship game up a notch!

One of the headline speakers at the upcoming WSC®inthe613 sponsorship conference has built her own brand and is now a respected social media influencer. In March of 2016, Michaela Alexis went viral on LinkedIn with her post about her search for her dream job. Just over two years later, Michaela is an espresso fueled entrepreneur with sky high ambitions who has grown her following to 115K+ in just over two years without a dollar spent on advertising.

Michaela headlines WSC®inthe613 with her keynote on how to align your event and your brand with social media influencers, people like Michaela or your athletes, who have access to a large audience and can persuade others by virtue of their authenticity and reach.

Summer pricing is on until July 6th. Register NOW to join 100+ others who hope to ramp up their sponsorship skills on September 10-11 at the Infinity Convention Centre.

https://www.wscinthe613.ca/register

 

 


George Brown College Announces 2018 5 to Watch Award Winners

TORONTO, ON – May 15th, 2018 – George Brown College is pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s 5 to Watch: Canada’s Sports Business Awards. The awards are voted on by a panel of senior sports business executives and celebrate five dynamic young professionals who have achieved remarkable career success prior to their 40th birthday. This year’s winners are:


The winners will be honoured at an awards ceremony on Thursday, June 21st. Over 400 sports business professionals and enthusiasts will be in attendance to salute the winners and network with colleagues. The event is celebrating its seventh year and has raised over $250k for student bursaries.

Alumni Achievement Award
The Alumni Achievement Award is presented annually to a graduate of the Sport & Event Marketing Program at George Brown College. It recognizes an outstanding industry professional who has also given back to their community through coaching, mentoring or volunteering. This year’s recipient is Kim Smither.

The 5 to Watch: Canada’s Sports Business Awards will be held on June 21st, 2018 at George Brown College’s Waterfront Campus (51 Dockside Drive, Toronto). The doors will open 6:00 p.m. for a networking reception with the awards ceremony beginning at 7:30 p.m. An onsite after-party will follow the awards component. Tickets can be purchased at 5toWatch.ca.

For more information, please contact:
TANJA COUGHLAN | Marketing Manager
George Brown College | St. James Campus
(416) 415.5000 ext. 3779 | tcoughlan@georgebrown.ca


Successful Sport Events Congress 2018 in Halifax

March 20, 2018, (Ottawa, Ontario): With support from Halifax Regional Municipality and the Province of Nova Scotia, the sport tourism industry gathered on the east coast for the first time at its annual conference, Sport Events Congress 2018 (SEC18). With one of the largest number of delegates in its 18-year history, SEC18 was the first national conference held at the new Halifax Convention Centre with over 400 people in attendance. The event was also supported by Destination Canada, Canada’s national tourism marketing organization, under the newly signed three-year partnership agreement with the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (CSTA).

Held yearly since 2001, SEC brings together the key players in the tourism industry’s fastest growing segment. It was a highly successful, interactive three days for representatives of sport event rights holders, destinations, event suppliers and sponsors at the conference organized by the CSTA. Take a quick tour of SEC18 by reviewing the video summary of the event.

In a powerful keynote address, Tom Grilk, CEO of the Boston Athletic Association, shared how the Boston Strong movement grew organically and turned tragedy into an inspiring story from the Boston Marathon. Internationally recognized speakers included Shane O’Sullivan, Head of Content, PISM Sport & Entertainment Inc., London, U.K. and Mike Laflin, President & CEO, Sportcal, also based in the U.K. Canada Bid Director and General Secretary, Canada Soccer’s Peter Montopoli closed out the congress with an inspired presentation on the joint bid from Canada, Mexico and the USA to host the 2026 FIFA World CupTM.

There was a definite East Coast theme to the festivities, with several speakers on the program from the Atlantic provinces, including a panel featuring Mayor Dawn Arnold, Moncton, N.B.; Mayor Danny Breen, St. John’s, Nfld.; Mayor Mike Savage, Halifax Regional Municipality, N.S.; joining Mayor Peter Brown of Airdrie, Alta. And the Halifax-based group SQUID! started off #SEC18 with a rousing performance of modern percussion and bagpipes.

There was also an East Coast flair to the social events that are a highlight of the conference. Delegates experienced the hospitality of the Alexander Keith Brewery, featuring entertainment and food with a Nova Scotia focus. The ‘flamingle’ featuring a pink flamingo theme while networking was carried on with the mingling of delegates was a ‘rosy’ success. And delegates cheered on their favourite basketball teams at the U SPORTS Men’s Basketball at Scotiabank Centre. In true sport tourism industry fashion, many delegates continued to enjoy the Halifax hospitality for an extra day or two, thanks to the Nor’Easter that blew in as flights were scheduled to depart, but everyone took in the delay with extreme good humour as they waited out the storm.

One of the key announcements coming out of the conference was the introduction of the GSI Canada Index. CSTA, in partnership with Sportcal, the publisher of the annual Global Sport Impact (GSI) Report has developed the Global Sport Impact Canada Index, or GSI Canada Index. This new tool ranks all cities hosting national sports championships and international sports events in Canada through a data driven assessment of performance. The results of the GSI Canada Index ranking had Montreal in 1st, Edmonton 2nd, Quebec 3rd, Ottawa 4th and Vancouver 5th. The complete index listing of all 51 cities is on the CSTA website.

Also unveiled at SEC18 was the latest tool for CSTA members, the Sport Tourism Assessment Template (STAT) designed for municipalities. It will help communities of all sizes, budgets and stages of evolution as sport tourism host markets to assess their current position and identify areas for strategic and tactical development in event bidding and hosting. STAT can be downloaded from the Members Only section of the CSTA website.
One of the regular features of SEC18 is the Sport Events Exchange where close to 60 different sport organizations ‘speed-dated’ with destinations for eight minutes at a time to see if their sport and the city/region would be a good match. Hundreds of business-to-business meetings took place during the exchange sessions and new opportunities for both destinations and sports were explored.

The 12th annual PRESTIGE awards luncheon, hosted by CBC’s Colleen Jones, honoured the best in 2017 sport tourism events, people, organizations and sponsors. The PRESTIGE videos featuring all finalists, and photos of the recipients are available on the CSTA website.
The newly re-elected Chair of the CSTA Board of Directors Cheryl Finn wrapped up SEC18 by encouraging everyone to “share in the passion of sport and what sport can do to transform communities, individuals and our great nation … do great things back in your own cities and we’ll gather back next year to hear your stories.”

Visit the CSTA website to review the 2018 Sport Events Congress presentations.

AGM news
Elected to the CSTA Board of Directors for two-year terms (2018 – 2020) were Graham Brown, (Toronto, Ont.), Heather Bury (Saskatoon, Sask.), Blair McIntosh, Vice-Chair (Toronto, Ont.), Julie Nadeau (Sherbrooke, Que.), and Seamus O’Keefe, (St. John’s , Nfld.).
Remaining on the board for the 2017-2019 term are: Neal Alderson (Halifax, Nova Scotia), Cheryl Finn, Chair (London, Ont.), Katherine Henderson, Treasurer (Ottawa, Ont.), Janelle Janis (Edmonton, Alta.), Reggie Lang, (Edmonton, Alta.), and Dean McIntosh (Calgary, Alta.). Grant MacDonald (Fall River, Nova Scotia) remains in his position as Past Chair.

Wayne Long (Charlottetown, PEI) and Brian MacPherson (Ottawa, Ont.), were recognized and thanked for their contributions as they ended their terms on the board.

For more details on the CSTA’s 2017 activities, review the 2017 Annual Report.
Save the dates for 2019 and 2020

SEC19 will take place in Ottawa at The Westin Hotel March 19- 21, 2019 before heading west to Edmonton March 24-26 in 2020.
#SEC18 │ #sporttourism │ @SportEventsCong

About the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (CSTA)
The Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance is a non-governmental, member-based, capacity building organization that promotes sport tourism as a grassroots economic development initiative at the community level. The CSTA services over 500 members across Canada, including 130 municipalities, 300 national and provincial sport, multi-sport and major games organizations and a variety of other sport and tourism industry partners. Sport tourism is the fastest growing segment of the tourism industry in Canada with over $6.5 billion in annual spending by domestic and international visitors.

For further information contact:
Barb MacDonald, Communications Consultant, CSTA
Tel: (613) 894-1769 | Email: bmacdonald@canadiansporttourism.com

 


Canada Maintains Leading Reputation as Host Sporting Nation

OTTAWA, ON: Holding 46 major sport events in the past year has kept Canada in the top six listing of sport hosting nations. The Global Sports Index (GSI) Nations Index 2018 was announced this week at SportAccord in Bangkok, Thailand by Sportcal, the UK-based firm which compiles the listing. For the sixth consecutive year Canada was recognized as one of the leading sport hosting nations in the world.

With an in-depth analysis of major multi-sport games and world championships, the GSI Nations Index identified the USA as the leading nation for the third straight year. The United Kingdom maintained its second place ranking, with China, Russia, Japan and Canada shifting positions slightly. Recognized as one of the leading sport hosting nations in the world, Canada placed second from 2013 – 2015, was ranked third in 2016, fifth in 2017 and sixth in 2018.

“The National Sport Organizations and destinations who work together to bid for and host major events, combined with the alignment of our federal, provincial and municipal hosting programs, deserve the credit for our continued respect around the world as a hosting nation,” said Rick Traer, CEO, Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance. “One of the major factors to our consistency in ranking, is our record of hosting events every year. We held 46 events that qualified for consideration in 2017, with only the USA holding more at 48. Despite the smallest population base of the top six countries, we have a well-deserved hosting reputation and look forward to continuing to attract major events to Canada.”

Canada also offers many attractive attributes when sport events are being awarded. At SportAccord the Team Canada delegation led by CSTA, in partnership with Destination Canada and CBC Sports, and destination partners from Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Durham Region, Montréal and Québec City positioned Canada as a leading location to host international sport events. “We are known for the quality of the organization of events in Canada, with the strongest volunteer base of any country, and the secure, welcoming atmosphere that we provide. It gives us a solid base to continue attracting major events, and contributing significant economic impact of our tourism industry,” added Traer.

The Global Sports Index (GSI) Nations Index extends over a 14-year period covering seven years in the past and projecting seven years in the future (2012-2025). The Index analysed 683 events across 155 categories and 81 sports, including summer and winter Olympic sports and Olympic ‘recognised’ sports. Bids for events that have been awarded up until April 2, 2018 have been included. In all 88 nations and 587 cities have hosted or are scheduled to host events during the 14-year period. A time weighting is applied, so that events in the current year are awarded 100 per cent of the rating value, while events in previous or future years are awarded less.

Contact:
Rick Traer, CEO, Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance
(613) 688-5843

About the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (CSTA)
The Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance is a non-governmental, member-based, capacity building organization that promotes sport tourism as a grassroots economic development initiative at the community level. The CSTA services over 500 members across Canada, including 130 municipalities, 300 national and provincial sport, multi-sport and major games organizations and a variety of other sport and tourism industry partners. Sport tourism is the fastest growing segment of the tourism industry in Canada with over $6.5 billion in annual spending by domestic and international visitors.

 


CSTA leads TEAM Canada delegation to SportAccord in Thailand

The Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (CSTA), in partnership with Destination Canada and CBC Sports, will once again lead a TEAM Canada delegation to SportAccord Convention 2018, scheduled for April 15-20 in Bangkok, Thailand. The world’s sport and business communities assemble at this five-day gathering, which includes the Congress and General Assemblies of over 100 international sports federations.

SportAccord, the premier international event dedicated to engaging and connecting rights holders, organizing committees, cities, press and media, businesses and other organizations involved in the development of sport, is being held in Thailand for the first time. This marks the first year of CSTA’s three-year agreement with Destination Canada to participate as the lead partner in Canada’s delegation.

Seven destinations from across the country have partnered with CSTA to position Canada as a leading location to host international sport events: Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Durham Region, Montréal and Québec City. In co-ordinating the Canadian delegation, Rick Traer, CEO, CSTA, said “Our TEAM Canada partners promote their destinations as hosts for future international sport events through a variety of networking, hospitality and business-to-business opportunities. It takes a similar approach to our Sport Events Congress, but the exposure to international federations widens the opportunities to profile Canada on the global stage. As one of the top five countries in the world for bidding and hosting international events, attending SportAccord is key to our strategy to solidify our reputation as a leader in the sport tourism industry and as a preferred destination.”

The CSTA is a bronze partner of SportAccord, which offers a unique platform to connect with the leaders of Olympic and non-Olympic sport movement, organizing committees and host cities all in one location. The TEAM Canada reception has become a highly anticipated and highly attended event on the SportAccord schedule, and provides the delegation with significant relationship building and awareness generating momentum.

Brought to you by:
Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance
116 Lisgar Street, Suite 600
Ottawa, ON K2P 0C2


Toronto Named Candidate Host City under United 2026 Bid for the 2026 FIFA World Cup™

Toronto has been named as a candidate host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ that would take place in Canada, Mexico and the United States
Toronto, March 16, 2018 /CNW/—Toronto has been named as a candidate host city as part of the United 2026 bid to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Earlier this week, the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities, announced the Government of Canada’s support-in-principle for United 2026.

Held every four years, the FIFA World Cup™ is the most prestigious tournament of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). Co-hosting this international event, watched by billions of people worldwide, would provide considerable sport, social, community, cultural and economic benefits, as well as showcase Canada around the world.

While Canada has never hosted the FIFA World Cup™ for men, it has successfully hosted other FIFA competitions at different levels, including the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™. This record-setting tournament was held in six cities and provinces from coast to coast across the country. The 1.35 million spectators who attended the newly expanded 24-team competition were responsible for an economic impact of nearly half a billion dollars.

The soccer governing bodies for Canada, Mexico and the United States jointly announced on April 10, 2017, that they would pursue a bid for the 2026 FIFA World Cup™.

The importance of the Canada-United States-Mexico relationship is reflected in our strong diplomatic, cultural, educational and commercial relations. Canada remains committed to strengthening its multi-faceted relationship with its North American friends and allies. The collaboration of our three governments in support of the United Bid for the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ is another example of how much our three countries can achieve when we work together toward common goals.

On June 13, 2018, FIFA will announce if United 2026, Morocco, or neither bidder will host the 2026 FIFA World CupTM.

Quotes
“Hosting major sporting events allows Canadian athletes to compete at home in front of their families, friends and fans. It is also a significant opportunity for Canadians to witness, first-hand, world-class sport competitions. I am thrilled that Toronto is one of the candidate host cities because what better place to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ than in our multicultural cities, where every team is a home team!”
—The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities, and Member of Parliament (Etobicoke North)

“On behalf of Canada Soccer, we congratulate the City of Toronto for their inclusion in the Bid Book and thank them for their unwavering support of the United Bid. We would like to thank the Government of Canada for their commitment to the United Bid for the 2026 FIFA World Cup™, and look forward to working with our Candidate Host Cities and government partners as we continue our efforts to secure the right to host the largest sporting event in the world.”
—Steven Reed, President of Canada Soccer and Co-Chair of the United 2026 Bid Committee

“Hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to showcase Toronto to the world. We will be ready to welcome athletes, officials, spectators and the soccer community from around the world to Toronto in 2026, and are very committed to working with FIFA and the United Bid Committee to ensure a highly successful event.”
—His Worship John Tory, Mayor of Toronto

Quick Facts
The three Canadian candidate host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ are Toronto, Montréal and Edmonton.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015 and the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Canada 2014 helped generate $493.6 million in economic activity for Canada.

The Government of Canada is the single largest investor in Canada’s sport system, promoting sport participation among all Canadians and providing support for young athletes, their national and multisport organizations, and the hosting of international events so that our athletes can compete with the best.

If the event is awarded to United 2026, the Government of Canada will provide up to $5 million to support continued development of event plans and budgets that will inform future decisions around specific funding for the event.

 


Montreal announced as GSI Canada: Sports City 2018 in new GSI Canada Index

March 8, 2018 (Halifax, Nova Scotia): Today marks the launch of the inaugural Global Sports Impact (GSI) Canada Index.
Montreal is ranked as the top city in Canada for hosting sports events followed by Edmonton, Quebec City, Ottawa and Vancouver. The announcement was made at the Sport Events Congress 2018 (SEC18) this week at the Halifax Convention Centre in Nova Scotia.

GSI Canada: Sports City 2018
• 1st: Montreal
• 2nd: Edmonton
• 3rd: Quebec
• 4th: Ottawa
• 5th: Vancouver

CSTA, in partnership with Sportcal – the publisher of the annual Global Sport Impact (GSI) Report – has developed the Global Sport Impact Canada Index or GSI Canada Index. This new tool’s aim is to rank all cities hosting national sports championships and international sports events in Canada through a data driven assessment of performance, enabling host cities to better understand the impact they are delivering through their sport event strategy.

Developed in partnership with Sportcal, the GSI Canada Index of sport hosting performance is based on national championships and international competitions both hosted in 2017 as well as those national championships/international events currently awarded for 2018 and beyond.1 Members of CSTA completed a worksheet/online form which was analyzed independently by Sportcal.

“This is one more tool we have developed for our members,” said Rick Traer, CEO, Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance. “It continues our commitment to provide our member organizations with access to development tools that align with our mission, ‘To increase Canadian capacity to attract and host sport tourism events.’ We appreciate being able to draw on the expertise of the team at Sportcal to create this data-driven GSI Canada Index.”

“We are delighted to be working with CSTA on the first National Sports Index for Canada” stated Mike Laflin, CEO of Sportcal. “The GSI project has shown that sport delivers a whole range of ‘holistic’ impacts for a host city and nation most of which go undetected. GSI is showing that sport delivers significant social and sustainable benefits in addition to economic, tourism and media impacts. The GSI Canada Index will help Canadian sports and cities understand more about the impacts generated by their sports events and help them deliver better outcomes and better results for their cities, governments and ultimately their citizens.”

Sportcal is the world-leading provider of sports market intelligence. It produces the annual Global Sports Cities and Nations Index, analyzing major multi-sport games and world championships, and ranking cities and nations in order of hosting.

Based on the input provided, each host city received a score and ranking within its respective membership category on an annual basis. The annual rankings will now be announced yearly at Sport Events Congress.

During Sport Events Congress 2018, these Canadian rankings were publicly announced:
• GSI Canada Cities full Index
• GSI Canada Cities full Index by population (overall)
• GSI Canada: International Sports Host 2018
o 1st: Montreal
o 2nd: Edmonton
o 3rd: Toronto
o 4th: Vancouver
o 5th: Quebec City
• GSI Canada: National Sports Host 2018
o 1st: Ottawa
o 2nd: Montreal
o 3rd: Winnipeg
o 4th: Edmonton
o 5th: Quebec City
• GSI Canada: National Sports Event 2018
o 2017 Grey Cup
o 2017 NHL 100 classic
o 2017 Tim Horton Brier
o 2017 Canada Summer Games
o 2017 Master Card Memorial Cup

The GSI Canada Index report and full rankings, as well as further studies, will be available for purchase from Sportcal in April 2018. To pre-order the report contact gsi@sportcal.com

1 For annual recurrent international events hosted in the same city only the next year’s edition is counted within the GSI Canada index

About the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (CSTA)
The Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance is a non-governmental, member-based, capacity building organization that promotes sport tourism as a grassroots economic development initiative at the community level. The CSTA services over 500 members across Canada, including 150 municipalities, 300 national and provincial sport, multi-sport and major games organizations and a variety of other sport and tourism industry partners. Sport tourism is the fastest growing segment of the tourism industry in Canada with over $6.5 billion in annual spending by domestic and international visitors.

About Sportcal
Sportcal is a world-leading provider of sports market intelligence. At the forefront of the industry, it delivers unrivalled sports analysis and insight to a range of global clients. Based in the UK, Sportcal is the essential resource for anyone involved in the business of sport. With an in-depth analysis of major multi-sport games and world championships, it compiles and produces annually the Global Sports Nations Index, announced yearly at the SportAccord. The Global Sports Nations Index extends over a 14-year period covering seven years in the past and projecting seven years in the future.

 


Destination Canada and Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance sign three-year partnership agreement

March 6, 2018 – Ottawa: Destination Canada, Canada’s national tourism marketing organization, and the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (CSTA), have signed a three-year partnership agreement.

The two organizations have worked together for many years, and will continue that strong relationship under this partnership agreement which runs from 2018 to 2020, to promote Canada as a preferred sport tourism destination to the international sport community.

“Destination Canada is proud to work with the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance to bring more international sporting events to Canada,” said David F. Goldstein, Destination Canada’s President and CEO. “When sporting events are held in Canada, the athletes, families, coaches and supporters benefit our tourism industry partners and communities across Canada.”

“We have received tremendous support from Destination Canada for many years to showcase Canada as a premier location to host major sporting events,” said Rick Traer, CEO, CSTA. “Their support has helped us to consistently be ranked in the top five hosting nations internationally. With this agreement in place, we look forward to even more opportunities to both promote Canada and to measure the effectiveness of the marketing of our country across many different platforms.”

Under the agreement, Destination Canada will participate as the lead partner in Canada’s delegation, organized by the CSTA, to the International SportAccord Convention, taking place next in Bangkok, Thailand from April 15 – 20, 2018. SportAccord is the premier international event dedicated to engaging and connecting rights holders, organizing committees, cities, press and media, businesses and other organizations involved in the development of sport.

Destination Canada and CSTA will also partner on two joint Team Canada sales missions between 2018 and 2020 in Lausanne, Switzerland, the location for the headquarters of over 100 international sport organizations that control the rights for hundreds of world championship sport events. The Team Canada Sales Mission will provide a platform for Canadian destinations to interact with a variety of international sport federation representatives in a series of promotional activities, hospitality functions and business-to-business opportunities.

In its research, CSTA will include Destination Canada’s priority markets in its survey instrument used to collect primary data at sport events. CSTA will also survey international spectators at sport events to determine the factors in their path to purchase decision making process.

Destination Canada will also support CSTA’s signature event, Sport Events Congress, the largest annual gathering of sport event rights holders, municipalities, economic development agencies, event suppliers, event management firms, and elected officials in Canada.

About the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (CSTA)
The Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance is a non-governmental, member-based, capacity building organization that promotes sport tourism as a grassroots economic development initiative at the community level. The CSTA services over 500 members across Canada, including 130 municipalities, 300 national and provincial sport, multi-sport and major games organizations and a variety of other sport and tourism industry partners. Sport tourism is the fastest growing segment of the tourism industry in Canada with over $6.5 billion in annual spending by domestic and international visitors.

About Destination Canada
Destination Canada markets Canada internationally as a premier four-season tourism destination. In collaboration with partners in the Canadian tourism industry, Destination Canada creates marketing campaigns designed to showcase the best our country has to offer. Destination Canada also provides research and industry data to our partners—equipping them to optimize their businesses.
For more information, please visit: www.destinationcanada.com, follow @DestinationCAN and @ExploreCanada on Twitter.

 


CSTA’s 2017 Annual Report now available

2017 was another tremendous year for the sport tourism industry in Canada. The CSTA’s 2017 Annual Report is now available on line! Highlighting many different aspects of the Canadian sport tourism industry, the report features a look back at activities in 2017 and includes updates on the latest tools for members and current partnerships CSTA has in place.

The Report also provides the 2017 Audited Financial Statements and highlights from the recent CSTA membership survey.

The document is now available on the CSTA website at the following link.

A reminder to all CSTA members attending Sport Events Congress that the Annual General Meeting will take place on Wednesday, March 7 at 8:30 a.m. in the Windsor Room of the Prince George Hotel in Halifax.

 


Up for Bid: Play On! Canada 2018 National Street Hockey Championships

Play On! Canada is extending the opportunity for Canadian municipalities to bid on the rights to host the Play On! 2018 National Street Hockey Championships, known as the Redwood Cup. Celebrating its 15th anniversary season since the inception of the program, this is a premier destination event expected to attract tourism from across our nation and generating national exposure for the host community.

RFP package can be found here, or by visiting the Up for Bid section of our website.

Deadline for potential bidding communities to send their Letter of Interest to Play On! Canada is October 20, 2017.

Did you know?
Play On! is Canada’s largest annual participatory sports festival. It holds the Guinness World Record as the world’s largest street hockey tournament. In its largest season (2014), it operated events in twenty-two communities, attracting over 6,000 teams, 42,000 participants and an estimated 300,000 spectators. It has an active database of nearly 100,000 participants.

For more information, please contact:
Matthew Boyle
Director, National Operations
Hockey Night in Canada’s Play On!
m.boyle@playon.ca

 


Whistler/Vancouver selected to host the 2020 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships

October 3, 2017: Bergen, Norway, the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) Management Committee awarded the 2020 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships to Vancouver/Whistler.

In partnership with Gran Fondo Canada, Toit Events, the Resort Municipality of Whistler and Tourism Whistler, Sport Hosting Vancouver submitted a bid to transform the highly successful annual Gran Fondo Whistler into a World Championships event in 2020. This will be the first time the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships will be hosted in North America.

“The Whistler community will be pleased to welcome international athletes, along with their coaches, families, and support teams for both training and competition. The Gran Fondo World Championships fit with our sport culture and build on our reputation as a world class destination for events” said Mayor Nancy Wilhelm-Morden.

The very popular Gran Fondo Whistler takes place annually on the second weekend of September. This existing closed course race offers beautiful landscapes, a clear passage over the picturesque Lions Gate Bridge and a challenging climb to Whistler. The 2020 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships will take place on September 12, 2020 along the established course from Vancouver to Whistler.

The timing of the 2018 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships is consistent with the FE&A program strategy to invest in events during periods where there is the greatest potential to generate incremental economic benefit. Further, RMOW council and staff are working hard to introduce measures that spread our economic success from dominant peak seasons, smoothing out the spikes in visitation to ease local employment, housing, and transportation pressures, ensuring that Whistler remains a place where residents can continue to thrive.

“Tourism Whistler is pleased to partner with the Resort Municipality in welcoming the UCI GranFondo World Championships to Whistler,” said Barrett Fisher, Tourism Whistler’s President & CEO. “The RBC GranFondo Whistler has a long-established reputation in Whistler and has become an important anchor to the resort’s robust year-round events calendar. Hosting the 2020 UCI GranFondo World Championships is a natural evolution for the event, as well as for Whistler as a premiere destination for high-calibre sport events.”

The 2017 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships took place in Albi, France on August 24 and saw over 2,900 riders register for the event. The UCI Gran Fondo World Championships event has seen a steady increase in participants since 2011.
About the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale)

Founded in 1900, in Paris (France), the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is the worldwide governing body for cycling. It develops and oversees cycling in all its forms, for all people as a competitive sport, as a healthy recreational activity, as a means of transport, and also just for fun. (www.uci.ch)

About Sport Hosting Vancouver
Sport Hosting Vancouver is a partnership between the City of Vancouver, the Vancouver Hotel Destinationc Association, Tourism Vancouver, the BC Pavilion Corporation (operating BC Place Stadium and the Convention Centre) and the University of British Columbia. We attract, develop, and support world-class sport events in Vancouver through great partnerships, enthusiastic guidance and an innovative approach.
Keep up to date with the world of sport hosting in Vancouver – connect with us on Twitter and Facebook (@SportHostingVan) and visit our website at www.sporthostingvancouver.ca

About the Resort Municipality of Whistler
The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is a destination resort community, local government organization and leader in providing municipal programs, services, progressive planning and infrastructure for almost 12,000 residents and three million annual visitors. Our vision: to be the premier mountain resort community as we move towards sustainability. How we’re doing: whistler.ca/monitoring

About Tourism Whistler
Tourism Whistler is the member-based marketing and sales organization representing Whistler, operating the Whistler Conference Centre, Whistler Golf Club, Whistler Visitor Centre, as well as 1.800.WHISTLER and whistler.com – Whistler’s official source for visitor bookings and information. As the convention and visitors bureau for the Resort Municipality of Whistler, Tourism Whistler represents more than 7,000 members who own, manage and operate properties or businesses on resort lands including hotels, restaurants, activity operators and retail shops.

Media Contacts
Resort Municipality of Whistler Communications | 604-967-3030 | communications@whistler.ca
Tourism Whistler Communications | 604.938.2726 | myoung@tourismwhistler.com

 


Sport Events Congress 2020 Will be Taking to the Ice (District) in Edmonton!

September 28, 2017 (Ottawa, Ontario) – Canada’s largest gathering of its vibrant sport tourism industry will be heading to Edmonton, Alberta for the 2020 event. The Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (CSTA) will hold Sport Events Congress 2020 (SEC20) at the Shaw Conference Centre with the Westin Edmonton and the Courtyard by Marriott Downtown as the host hotels.

The 2020 edition of Sport Events Congress will be an opportunity for the more than 400 sport event rights holders, tourism professionals, event management firms and suppliers from the sport tourism industry to experience Edmonton’s Ice District first-hand. Plans are also in place to take in an activity at Rogers Place during the conference, scheduled for March 24-26, 2020.

One of the important elements in choosing a location for this event is the opportunity to create a memorable sport tourism experience for our delegates,” said Rick Traer, CEO, Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance. “Edmonton and the Ice District will be a wonderful showcase of the rejuvenation of a downtown area with a sports facility as the anchor, but with so much more to offer. It adds a very desirable feature for our delegates to learn first-hand how the different partners worked together to bring the vision to life.”

“As an active member of the CSTA for 15 years, Edmonton Events is pleased to further demonstrate our support for the organization. We are thrilled to welcome Congress delegates back to our city in 2020,” said Lindsay Harrison, Senior Manager, Edmonton Events. “Edmonton is experiencing a remarkable revitalization that has not only physically impacted the landscape here since we last hosted in 2014, but is also transforming the way we approach sport tourism. We look forward to showcasing all that our city has to offer.”

Edmonton Events is a partnership between Edmonton Tourism and the City of Edmonton. This will mark the second time that Edmonton has hosted the congress. The first was in 2014 where Edmonton saw total economic activity valued at $1.35 million as a result of hosting the event. Sport Events Congress 2018 will be held in Halifax, while Ottawa is hosting in 2019.

About the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (CSTA)
The Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance is a non-governmental, member-based, capacity building organization that promotes sport tourism as a grassroots economic development initiative at the community level. The CSTA services over 500 members across Canada, including 150 municipalities, 300 national and provincial sport, multi-sport and major games organizations and a variety of other sport and tourism industry partners. Sport tourism is the fastest growing segment of the tourism industry in Canada with over $6.5 billion in annual spending by domestic and international visitors.

For more information contact:
Rick Traer, CEO, Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance
Tel: 613-688-5843
Email: rtraer@canadiansporttourism.com
Web: www.canadiansporttourism.com
@Cdnsporttourism
@sporteventscong
#SEC20

 


Volleyball Canada Now Accepting Bids

Volleyball Canada is now in the process of accepting bids for the following events:

2019 14U Volleyball Canada National Championships
2019 15U to 18U Volleyball Canada National Championships

The following timelines have been established by Volleyball Canada for the bid process:

Friday, September 1st, 2017 Letter of intent must be received by Volleyball Canada (17:00 EST)
Friday, October 6th, 2017 All bid packages must be received by Volleyball Canada (17:00 EST)
Monday, November 6th 2017 The Bid Evaluation Committee will review and evaluate all bids
Friday, November 17th 2017 The Bid Selection Committee will select the host(s)
Friday, December 1st, 2017 Volleyball Canada will announce the successful host(s)

 


Volleyball Canada Now Accepting Bids

In 2018 the Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) will be launching a new top-level international volleyball league to succeed the previous FIVB World League.

This “New Volleyball League (NVL)” will involve the top 16 teams in the world and will run from early June to mid-July in 2018 and will be the premier event for teams preparing for the 2018 World Championships and the 2020 Olympics. Canada will participate and will host one weekend of matches in Canada on June 8-10, 2018. During this weekend Canada will host six matches amongst 4 teams – Canada, USA, Australia and Germany.

Volleyball Canada is looking to solicit a potential Host Organization for this event to be hosted in Canada.

The following timelines have been established by Volleyball Canada for the bid process:
• July 31, 2017 Request for Proposal released
• August 30, 2017 Deadline for Proposal submission
• September 22, 2017 Selection of Host City for 2018 NVL

For Volleyball Canada’s bid guidelines, please click here or check out the Up for Bid section on our website

 


New sports facility to expand recreational and event-hosting opportunities in Greater Saint John

SAINT JOHN, NB, July 5, 2017 /CNW/ – The governments of Canada and New Brunswick are investing in sports and recreation infrastructure to provide more ways for communities to come together and stay active while supporting economic development and middle-class job creation.

Wayne Long, Member of Parliament for Saint John–Rothesay, on behalf of the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, along with the Honourable Donald Arseneault, Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour and minister responsible for the Regional Development Corporation, today announced $12 million in joint federal-provincial funding for the construction of the Greater Saint John Field House.

The new Fieldhouse will be the only facility of its kind in Southern New Brunswick, featuring two indoor turfs, a 200-metre indoor track, fitness rooms, multi-purpose areas, community spaces and outdoor trails.

Once complete, it will provide residents of all ages with year-round access to diverse sporting activities and drive economic activity by allowing the region to welcome larger-scale sporting events.

Quotes
“I’m very pleased to see our federal dollars going to this important regional project. The Greater Saint John Field House will promote general health and fitness while supporting local athletes. The new event-hosting capacity will help create economic growth in the area and contribute to long-term prosperity and middle-class job creation.”

Wayne Long, Member of Parliament for Saint John–Rothesay, on behalf of the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

“Our Government’s $6 million investment in this strategic recreational infrastructure project will yield a significant return on investment by spurring economic activity and creating jobs in Greater Saint John. Plus, once the field house is complete, it will enhance the quality of life for families in the region.”

The Honourable Donald Arseneault, Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour and minister responsible for the Regional Development Corporation

“Thank you to our government partners for helping us to build a healthier Saint John. We are pleased to add the field house to the wonderful recreational infrastructure our residents enjoy. A facility like this will surely be well used by our residents and allow us to attract even more sports, recreation and people to our City.”

Don Darling, Mayor of Saint John

“We are thrilled to see the announcement of this funding to support the development of this field house facility. This project is a community driven initiative which will bring new sporting events to our city and provide new opportunities for sports, recreation, and wellness for the whole Greater Saint John community. With the support of the Government of Canada and the Province of New Brunswick now confirmed, we will be working towards construction starting late this year and our goal of being open for use in the fall of 2019.”

Bill MacMackin, President of the Greater Saint John Field House Inc.

Quick facts

  • The Government of Canada will provide more than $180 billion in infrastructure funding over 12 years for public transit, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, transportation that supports trade, and Canada’s rural and northern communities.
  • The governments of Canada and New Brunswick are each contributing $6 million to this project through the New Building Canada Fund.
  • Budget 2017 commits $21.9 billion to support social infrastructure—including sports and recreational facilities—in Canadian communities.
  • These investments complement the Atlantic Growth Strategy, a 2-year federal-provincial action plan aimed at stimulating economic growth in the region through five priority areas:
    -Skilled workforce/Immigration;
    -Innovation;
    -Clean growth and climate change;
    -Trade and investment;
    -Infrastructure.

Associated links
Government of Canada’s $180-billion+ infrastructure plan in Budget 2017: http://www.budget.gc.ca/2017/docs/plan/chap-02-en.html#Toc477707375
Federal infrastructure investments in New Brunswick: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/map-carte/nb-eng.html
New Building Canada Fund: Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component–National and Regional Projects: http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/nrp-pnr-prog-eng.html
Atlantic Growth Strategy: http://www.acoa-apeca.gc.ca/ags-sca/Eng/atlantic-growth.html.
Twitter: @INFC_eng
Web: Infrastructure Canada

SOURCE Infrastructure Canada

For further information: Kate Monfette, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, 613-301-0894, kate.monfette@canada.ca; Bruce Macfarlane, Communications, Regional Development Corporation, 506-444-4583, bruce.macfarlane@gnb.ca; Infrastructure Canada, 613-960-9251, Toll free: 1-877-250-7154, Email: infc.media.infc@canada.ca

 


Remind international attendees to apply early

With significant growth in the number of people wanting to visit Canada, applying early is more important than ever. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is reminding special event and conference organizers to encourage international participants to plan ahead and apply early for Canadian travel documents.

International participants should review Canada’s entry requirements to find out which travel documents they will need to visit Canada, such as a visa or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), and apply early. Participants can also find information about visiting Canada for business here.

IRCC has prepared handouts and social media messaging to help you share this important reminder. We encourage you to spread the word via your professional networks, websites, social media accounts and in client communications to help minimize stress and ensure a smooth travel experience for visitors to Canada.

Posters and shareable images are also available to remind all travellers to Canada to apply early if they need an eTA or visa. If you would like electronic copies of any of these products, please contact IRCC at Outreach-Rayonnement@cic.gc.ca.

 


Winners named in 2017 George Brown College 5 To Watch awards competition

Sports business marketing professionals to be honoured by top industry executives

TORONTO, ON – May 18, 2017 – George Brown College is pleased to announce the recipients of the sixth annual 5 To Watch – Canada’s Sport Business Awards, in recognition of the five most influential and accomplished Canadians under the age of 40 in the business of sport.

Presented by George Brown College in partnership with The Globe and Mail, the awards recognize executives who have demonstrated significant success early in their career and are poised to become the next generation of industry leaders.

“The awards are firmly established as one of Canada’s premier sports and marketing events,” said Mike Fenton, Executive Director, ACG Toronto and 5 To Watch event co-chair. “The awards shine a light on some of the industry’s up-and-comers and brightest minds while also helping to support a stronger and more vibrant sports business industry.”

Hosted by Kate Beirness of TSN, the 5 To Watch Awards are given annually to Canadian sports business professionals who demonstrate leadership in their industry sector. Winners are selected based on a variety of criteria including success metrics, workplace promotions and examples of entrepreneurship or creative problem solving. The 5 To Watch award recipients are as follows:

• Andrew Agro, Director, Corporate Sponsorship and Business Development, New York Jets
• Atila Ozkaplan, Senior Director, Technical Logistics, NBC Sports Group
• Catherine Gosselin-Després, Executive Director, Sport, Canadian Paralympic Committee
• Jordan Vader, Senior Director, Global Partnerships, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment
• Lisa Ferkul, Director, Hockey Sponsorship, Scotiabank

The 5 To Watch winners will be honoured at an awards ceremony taking place June 22, 2017 at George Brown’s Waterfront Campus. The awards are voted on by a panel of sports business executives from across the country, including representatives from BMO Financial Group, the Canadian Football League, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, SDI Marketing, TSN and Canadian Tire. The awards are presented by George Brown’s Centre for Business and a committee of Centre for Business sport and event marketing alumni in partnership with The Globe and Mail.

The 5 to Watch awards benefits students just starting to pursue studies in George Brown College’s Centre for Business by raising funds for bursaries. To date, the event has raised over $200,000 and has awarded 32 student bursaries.

“We are proud to be part of an event that not only celebrates rising sports business leaders, but also provides inspiration for those following in their footsteps,” said Maureen Loweth, Dean, Centre for Business, George Brown College.

In 2014 the Alumni Achievement Award was established to recognize outstanding achievement by a George Brown Sport & Event Marketing program graduate. The winner of the 2017 award is Dan MacKenzie, Vice President and Managing Director of NBA Canada.

For tickets and further information, visit 5towatch.ca or follow @5towatch for twitter updates.

About George Brown College
Toronto’s George Brown College has established a reputation for equipping students with the skills, industry experience and credentials to pursue the careers of their choice. The college offers programs from its three campuses located across the downtown core, and provides housing at its student residence, The George, which opened in Sept. 2016. George Brown offers 152 full-time programs and 243 continuing education certificates/designations across a wide variety of professions to a student body of nearly 29,000 (full-time enrolment) students, including 15 per cent international students; and over 66,000 continuing education registrants. Students can earn certificates, diplomas, postgraduate certificates, apprenticeships and degrees. www.georgebrown.ca

For more information, please contact:
Joyann Callender
Manager, Media Relations
George Brown College
416-415-5000 x3159
jcallender3@georgebrown.ca

 


 

Canada Maintains Top Five Sport Hosting Ranking

OTTAWA, ON: For the fifth consecutive year Canada has been recognized as one of the leading sport hosting nations in the world. The Global Sports Nations Index 2017 was announced earlier this week at the Sportaccord Convention in Denmark by Sportcal, the UK based firm which compiles the listing.

With an in-depth analysis of major multi-sport games and world championships, the Global Sports Index, produced by Sportcal, identified the USA as the leading nation for the second year in a row, with the United Kingdom as the number two nation and Russia in third spot. China moves to fourth place on the list, while Canada falls to fifth. Canada placed second from 2013 – 2015, and was ranked third in 2016.

“This is really a tribute to the National Sport Organizations in our country and the destinations working together to bid for and host major events,” said Rick Traer, CEO, Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance. “We actually hosted 41 international events that qualified for consideration, second only to the USA’s 44, which is quite remarkable given our much smaller population base. This would not be possible without the alignment of our federal, provincial and municipal hosting programs that are critical to being able to host world class events.”

Traer acknowledged the many building blocks that are in place to make Canada an attractive destination. “We saw last year events such as the Rugby Sevens in Vancouver and Ski Tour Canada 2016 being held here for the first time, and the quality of the organization skills to ensure highly successful events. The calibre of our volunteers, the infrastructure we have in place, and the welcoming yet secure atmosphere of our country all support our well-deserved reputation as a host. With many major events being held here in 2017, we know that the sport tourism industry will continue to have a significant impact on our economy.”

The Global Sports Nations Index extends over a 14-year period covering seven years in the past and projecting seven years in the future (2011-2024). The Index analysed 730 events across 151 categories and 81 sports. Bids for events that have been awarded up until March 19, 2017 have been included. In all 86 nations and 621 cities have hosted or are scheduled to host events during the 14-year period.

For the full Global Sports Nations Index 2017 visit: Global Sports Nations Index 2017

Contact:
Rick Traer, CEO, Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance
(613) 688-5843

About the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (CSTA)
The Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance is a non-governmental, member-based, capacity building organization that promotes sport tourism as a grassroots economic development initiative at the community level. The CSTA services over 500 members across Canada, including 150 municipalities, 300 national and provincial sport, multi-sport and major games organizations and a variety of other sport and tourism industry partners. Sport tourism is the fastest growing segment of the tourism industry in Canada with over $6.5 billion in annual spending by domestic and international visitors.

 


Events honoured from across Canada at 11th Annual Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance’s PRESTIGE Awards

Ottawa, Ontario: Recipients of the 11th annual Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (CSTA) PRESTIGE Awards stretched right across the country from Vancouver, British Columbia to Saint John, New Brunswick. The awards recognize events from local to national to major international championships and tournaments and also honour outstanding volunteers and organizations, who work to bid, host and stage sport events across Canada.

“Each one of our PRESTIGE Award recipients has made a meaningful contribution either personally or as part of an organization to keeping Canada a world leader in bidding and hosting events,” said Rick Traer, CEO, Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance. “We are proud to honour the 23 finalists from across the country, and the eight events, sponsors and communities who were announced as recipients. Congratulations to everyone and thank you for ensuring the sport tourism industry continues to grow and have a significant impact on our economy.”

Recipients were announced on Tuesday, March 21, 2017 during the 11th PRESTIGE Awards gala luncheon sponsored by Saskatoon Sports Tourism at the CSTA’s annual Sport Events Congress at the Westin Ottawa Hotel. A special CSTA Lifetime Achievement Award was also presented to Don Schumacher, the longtime leader of the National Association of Sports Commissions in the USA for his leadership and dedication to sport tourism.

2017 PRESTIGE Award Recipients
CSTA Canadian Sport Event of the Year Award (Group A: budget greater than $1 million) presented by Laval SportCité
• Ski Tour Canada 2016 (Gatineau, Que., Montreal, Que., Quebec City, Que., Canmore, Alta.)
Over 12 days, 400 of the world’s top cross country skiers, from 25 nations, took part in the first World Cup Cross Country Finals ever staged outside of Europe. Combining city park races in such iconic locations as the Plains of Abraham in Quebec City, Mont Royal in Montreal, and Jacques Cartier Park in Gatineau with Alberta’s spectacular Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park, Ski Tour Canada 2016 showcased our ability to stage a massive multi-site event. Featuring ski expos at each stop that engaged people of all ages, it also generated awareness of Canada’s winter sport communities world-wide. The Ski Tour Canada 2016 had an operating budget of $8.3 million. Live-streamed in Canada, it reached an international audience of over 52 million viewers.

CSTA Canadian Sport Event of the Year Award (Group B: budget less than $1 million) presented by Laval SportCité
• Canadian Track and Field Championships and Selection Trials for the 2016 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games (Edmonton, Alta.)
The Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Selection Trials hosted the deepest, most talented pool of Canadian Track & Field athletes ever to compete for berths in the 2016 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio. The event surpassed all expectations for the 1,135 athletes, 235 coaches, and 135 officials and was run on an overall budget of $513,383. Over 18 Edmonton/Alberta organizations partnered with TrackTown to be part of the Olympic dream and to showcase the City of Edmonton with over 250 volunteers helping to stage the event. Hundreds of young athletes from over 15 Edmonton and area local Track and Field Clubs attended and volunteered at the Trials, sparking their own internal Olympic flames.

CSTA International Sport Event of the Year Award presented by Tourism Toronto
• 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship (Kamloops, B.C.)
For the first time Hockey Canada hosted the IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championships west of Manitoba, holding the 2016 event in Kamloops, B.C. It powerfully promoted and strengthened female hockey and skills development throughout B.C.’s interior and beyond. By announcing Team Canada’s roster at a local elementary school, children became immediately engaged in the championships, as did the local community. Key partnerships were formed with a mosaic of community groups reaching wide demographics and socioeconomic status from the Japanese Cultural Association to Kamloops Minor Baseball.

CSTA Canadian Sport Event Sponsor of the Year Award presented by Adup Display
• Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) – HSBC Canada Sevens (Vancouver, B.C.)
Through its investment as the title sponsor of the HSBC Canada Sevens, HSBC has had a profound impact on the sport of rugby not only in B.C. but across Canada. It has made the growth of grassroots rugby development a central pillar of its sponsorship objectives and as a result, has provided a platform for growth that would not otherwise exist. Encouraging employee engagement created opportunities for staff to experience the event at a deeper level through direct participation in the staging of two HSBC Youth clinics. And by investing in video and other shareable online content, it promoted the game globally.

CSTA Sport Event Volunteer of the Year Award presented by CBC Sports
• Bill MacMackin; East Coast Games, Athletics New Brunswick, Saint John Track Club (Saint John, N.B.)
As if serving as the President of the Saint John Track Club for over a decade, coaching at the Saint John High School and sitting on the board of Athletics New Brunswick wasn’t enough for Bill MacMackin, he managed to take the East Coast Games from an idea on paper to reality. His vision was to bring together seven separate sporting events into one multi-sport manufactured event, with the critical mass to draw increased sponsorship, attendance and media attention. Three years later, the East Coast Games, under Bill’s guidance and leadership, brought together 2,200 athletes, 1,500 parents and resulted in $800,000 in economic activity.

CSTA Sport Tourism Champion Award presented by ConnectOnCampus
• Candice Stasynec, Executive Director, Edmonton Events (Edmonton, Alta.)
For nearly 40 years at the City of Edmonton, Candice Stasynec has provided leadership and support to high profile projects and events. Along the way she built strong relationships locally, nationally and internationally. From running event operations at Commonwealth Stadium to being an integral member of a major event bid or local organizing committee, her passion for sport and the tangible community benefits they bring was always evident. Her impact on the not-for-profit sport community was immeasurable as in 2016 alone she provided consultation, support and help to secure funding for over 15 associations. Her legacy will be seen in the long-term strategy for Edmonton Events that she helped to create.

CSTA Sport Tourism Organization of the Year Award presented by WestJet
• Sport Hosting Vancouver (Vancouver, B.C.)
The Sport Hosting Vancouver partnership is a first of its kind in the City of Vancouver to actively review, assess and establish a framework for the sport hosting profile in the region. It unites all sport hosting stakeholders, providing a responsive, streamlined approach to attracting major events and making them successful on every level. In 2016, Vancouver hosted the inaugural Americas Masters Games, along with such diverse events as the HSBC Canada Sevens rugby tournament, the Little League Canadian Championships, and the Subaru 5i50 Vancouver Triathlon to name just a few. With City approval of a Major Event Acquisition Fund, Vancouver will host many more successful sport events in the years to come.

CSTA Sustainable Sport Event of the Year Award presented by Edmonton Events
• 2016 Alberta Summer Games (Leduc, Alta.)
Environment sustainability at the 2016 Alberta Summer Games, including widespread education ahead of time, was a key objective of the event from the very beginning. With 11 of the 14 sports taking place within a very close proximity, transportation was reduced significantly right from the start. The food centre had an active waste diversion plan, with the result that 89 per cent of waste was sorted into organics and recycling, rather than landfill. Disposable water bottles were discouraged, with water refill stations readily available. Installing Canada’s largest commercial roof-top solar array on the Leduc Recreation Centre created a legacy that will be felt in Leduc for many years.

About the PRESTIGE Awards
PRESTIGE Awards are the CSTA’s marquis Program Recognizing Exceptional Sport Tourism Initiatives, Games & Events. Now in its 11th year, this annual award program shines a spotlight on the dynamic Canadians, places and events that are building our nation’s growing sport tourism industry.

About the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (CSTA)
The Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance is a non-governmental, member-based, capacity building organization that promotes sport tourism as a grassroots economic development initiative at the community level. The CSTA services over 500 members across Canada, including 150 municipalities, 300 national and provincial sport, multi-sport and major games organizations and a variety of other sport and tourism industry partners. Sport tourism is the fastest growing segment of the tourism industry in Canada with over $6 billion in annual spending by domestic and international visitors.

***
For more information contact:
Barb MacDonald, CSTA Communications Consultant
Tel: (613) 521-7314
bmacdonald@canadiansporttourism.com
#PRESTIGE @CdnSportTourism
#SEC17 @SportEventsCong
#sporttourism

 


 

Sport Tourism surges past $6.5 billion annually

Ottawa, Ont.—The sport tourism industry in Canada surpassed $6.5 billion in spending in 2015, according to custom data tabulations from the Travel Survey of Residents of Canada (TSRC) and the International Travel Survey (ITS). This represents a 13% increase in visitor expenditures associated with sport tourism over the 2014 total of $5.8 billion.

The largest source of sport tourists continues to be the domestic market, accounting for 72% of all spending, followed by overseas markets (18%) and U.S. visitors (9% of sport tourism revenues). The significant contributor to the growth in 2015 sport tourism revenues was driven by the U.S market, which saw a year-over-year spending increase of 20%. Sport tourism spending attributable to the domestic market increased by 12%.
The total volume of U.S and overseas sport tourism visitors in 2015 rose by 12% as compared to 2014. The increase in person visits was led by a significant increase in the volume of U.S. overnight visitors, up by 15%. International same-day travellers were not included in this assessment.

  

The total volume of U.S and overseas sport tourism visitors in 2015 rose by 12% as compared to 2014. The increase in person visits was led by a significant increase in the volume of U.S. overnight visitors, up by 15%. International same-day travellers were not included in this assessment.


Graphic 2

For the first time, the CSTA has produced the numbers by province using additional custom data tabulations from Statistics Canada. The results indicate that Ontario led all provinces, accounting for 36.7% of all sport tourism visitor expenditures; followed by Québec at 21.2% and British Columbia with 18.9%. British Columbia was particularly successful in attracting international sport tourists, with the province earning 26.9% of all U.S. sport tourism revenues and 32.3% of all international sport tourism revenues, driven in part by the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015. Provincial and regional breakdowns are outlined at the following link on the CSTA website.

Value of Sport Tourism in Canada (PDF)

“Certainly 2015, designated as the Year of Sport, was a banner year for sport events in Canada, as we hosted the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015 in six different cities, the Toronto 2015 Pan Am / Parapan Am Games, and a multitude of other international sport events. However, this data also provides a comprehensive illustration of the significant impact of sport tourism on our economy,” said Rick Traer, CEO, Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (CSTA). “Canada hosted 43 international events last year, the most of any country in the world. Combined with the numerous national and regional events held in communities throughout Canada, sport tourism has provided significant economic benefit to the host cities, supporting job creation, promoting volunteerism and providing legacies in the form of new and renovated sport facilities.”

Traer also pointed out that “Canada is consistently ranked as one of the top three sport hosting nations in the world. While there are many contributing factors, we have a variety of federal and provincial hosting programs that have contributed to our ability to host. We also have the capacity to host both summer and winter sport events, and we remain a safe, secure and welcoming destination for international visitors. Our host communities are renowned for their friendly, capable volunteers, excellent organizational capacity and the attractiveness of both our cities and our natural surroundings. We take great pride in hosting events, and in the stellar reputation that we have developed as a host nation internationally. It bodes well for Canadian communities to continue to reap the economic and social benefits of sport tourism in the years ahead.”

About the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance
The Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance is a non-governmental, member-based, capacity building organization that promotes sport tourism as a grassroots economic development initiative at the community level. The CSTA services over 500 members across Canada, including 140 municipalities, 300 national and provincial sport, multi-sport and major games organizations and a variety of other sport and tourism industry partners. Sport tourism is the fastest growing segment of the tourism industry in Canada with over $6.5 billion in annual spending by domestic and international visitors.

Contact:
Rick Traer, CEO
Tel: 613-688-5843
rtraer@canadiansporttourism.com

 


 

Canada Selected to Host 2018 ISBHF Junior World Ball Hockey Championships

Kingston, ON—The International Street and Ball Hockey Federation (ISBHF) has awarded the 2018 ISBHF Junior World Championships to Canada. The selection was approved during the ISBHF annual congress in Montreal (February 17, 2017) by a vote of member ISBHF nations.

“We’re thrilled to be selected to host the World Juniors in 2018”, commented Steve Power, President of the CBHA. “Canada last hosted the Junior Championships in 2008 in St. John’s Newfoundland and we consider these Championships to be an important program in growing the game of ball hockey across Canada.”

The 2016 Junior World Championships were hosted in Sheffield, UK and featured 18 National teams. The event is held every two years and attracts the top men’s U20 and U18 teams from around the world. Specific hosting dates for the 2018 Championships will be confirmed when the bid is released for tender by the CBHA in March.

“Canada in one of our founding members of the ISBHF, and we’re excited to bring our World Junior Championships back to North America in 2018”, stated ISBHF President George Gortsos. “We believe Canada will be an exceptional host, and we’re confident the CBHA will determine a destination hosting partner that will deliver an outstanding event.”

The Canadian Ball Hockey Association (CBHA) now begins the process of developing the official bid hosting RFP for the Championships, with the goal of releasing the package during the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance’s annual Sport Events Congress. The SEC is scheduled for March 19-22 in Ottawa. At that time, the CBHA intends to release full details on the economic impact for the Championships using the CSTA’s Sport Tourism Economic Assessment Model (STEAM). Data from the 2016 Championships in Sheffield, England will be used in determining the value. A final announcement on the Canadian host location will be selected by the end of May 2017.

The ISBHF anticipate 8-10 teams entering in each of the U20 and U18 divisions when the World Junior Championships are hosted in Canada in 2018. This amounts to over 650 Players, Coaches, Support Staff and Referees and with the number of parents and friends attending, the event is estimated to draw 1000-1200 people over the 4-5 day Championship. Venue requirements include a two-pad indoor arena, with a minimum 2500 seat capacity main rink. The 2016 Championships webcasts drew over a quarter-million people.

“It is a strategic direction to release the bid package during the CSTA’s annual Sport Event Congress”, explained Laurence Bishop, CBHA Executive Director. “This is a direct way for the CBHA to connect with tourism professionals in sport hosting destinations from across Canada and provide specific details of all our hosting opportunities and requirements. Along with our annual big-three National Championships, 2018 is designed to be a tremendous year for ball hockey in Canada.”

Canadian Ball Hockey Association
The Canadian Ball Hockey Association (CBHA) is a registered non-profit organization. It is officially recognized as the governing body of the sport of ball hockey in Canada by the International Street & Ball Hockey Federation (ISBHF) and Hockey Canada. Nine Provincial members belong to the Association including British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland & Labrador. The CBHA hosts three annual National Championships. The 2018 Championships are as follows:

National Men’s B,C,D and Ladies B – St. John’s, NL – July 20-23
Junior Nationals – Kitchener, Ontario – July 27 – July 30
National Men’s and Ladies ‘A’ and Masters – St. John, New Brunswick – August 7-13

For more information about the Canadian Ball Hockey Association, please visit www.CBHA.com or follow @CanBallHockey.

For more information, please contact:
Canadian Ball Hockey Federation
Laurence Bishop, Executive Director
lbishop@CBHA.com
613-815-9610

International Street & Ball Hockey Federation
George Gortsos, President
info@ISBHF.com
416-418-3039

International Street and Ball Hockey Federation
Founded in 1993, the International Street and Ball Hockey Federation is a registered non-profit organization. It is officially recognized as the governing body of the sport by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), with many of its member nations officially recognized by their federal sports agencies.

For more information about the International Street and Ball Hockey Federation, please visit www.ISBHF.com.

 


Curling Canada Requesting Expressions of Interest for Eight Events

Curling Canada is requesting expressions of interest for the hosting of the following eight events:
2019 Tim Hortons Brier (PDF)
2019 Scotties Tournament of Hearts (PDF)
2019 Canadian Mixed Curling Championship (PDF)
2019 Home Hardware Canada Cup (PDF)
2019 World Financial Group Continental Cup (PDF)
2019 Canadian Juniors (PDF)
2019 Everest Canadian Seniors (PDF)
2019 Under 18 Canadian Championships (PDF)

About Curling Canada
Curling Canada is the national sport governing body responsible for the development, promotion and organization of curling in Canada. In cooperation with its Provincial and Territorial Member Associations across Canada, Curling Canada provides programs and services to curlers of all ages.
The primary area of administration and the most financially consuming of Curling Canada’s responsibilities are championships. On an annual basis, Curling Canada sanctions and conducts 11 national curling championship events. Approximately 12,000 competitive curlers from all provinces and territories enter play at the curling club level with the hopes of becoming one of the Canadian Champions crowned annually

 


Canada Maintains a Top Three Ranking as Sport Hosting Nation

OTTAWA, ON: For the fourth straight year Canada has been recognized as one of the leading sport hosting nations in the world. The Global Sports Nations Index 2016 was announced during the Global Sports Tourism Summit in London, England recently.

With an in-depth analysis of major multi-sport games and world championships, the Global Sports Index, produced by Sportcal, identified the USA as the leading nation, with Russia as number two, and Canada in third spot. Canada first surged to second place in 2013 and held that spot until this year.

“Being recognized as one of the top nations in the world for the fourth consecutive year speaks highly of the support system Canada has in place to host major events,” said Rick Traer, CEO, Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance.

“Maintaining our role as a leading host nation would not be possible without an army of committed volunteers and the support of federal, provincial and municipal hosting programs that are critical to being able to host events on the world stage.”

Traer also acknowledged the significance of the accomplishment, considering the much larger population base in the other countries. “The infrastructure that we now have in place as a legacy of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and the 2015 Pan American/Parapan Games as well as other events, has a number of benefits. Not only do we now have more outstanding facilities for our athletes to train at the highest level, but the future looks bright for Canada to continue hosting international events. It also ensures that sport tourism will maintain its position as a vibrant and growing segment of our tourism industry.”

The Global Sports Nations Index extends over a 14-year period covering seven years in the past and projecting seven years in the future (2010-2023). The Index analysed 787 events across 146 categories and 74 sports. Canada’s total included 48 different events.

For the full Global Sports Nations Index 2016 visit: Global Sports Nations Index 2016 (http://www.sportcal.com/Impact/NationsIndex)

About the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (CSTA)
The Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance is a non-governmental, member-based, capacity building organization that promotes sport tourism as a grassroots economic development initiative at the community level. The CSTA services over 500 members across Canada, including 150 municipalities, 300 national and provincial sport, multi-sport and major games organizations and a variety of other sport and tourism industry partners. Sport tourism is the fastest growing segment of the tourism industry in Canada with approximately $5.2 billion in annual spending by domestic and international visitors.

 


Request for Interest – Road to 2019 FIBA World Cup (2017-2019)

Canada Basketball is seeking interest from potential hosting partners for the Road to 2019 FIBA World Cup (2017-2019).

The host organizations will be responsible for working with Canada Basketball to host basketball games featuring Canada’s men’s national team. Responsibilities in conjunction with Canada Basketball will include; hosting Canada, its opponent, game officials and delegates, comprised of local transportation, accommodations and meals; facility operations; event presentation; communications; hosting services; and other activities.

As part of the request for interest process, Canada Basketball is welcoming different types of proposals for the partnership arrangement and hosting model. For more information regarding the event please refer to appendices 1 and 2 in the document below.

Request for Interest- Road to 2019 FIBA World Cup (2017-2019) (PDF)

Brought to you by:
Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance
116 Lisgar Street, Suite 600, Ottawa,
ON K2P 0C2

 


Nominations Now Open for 11th Annual CSTA PRESTIGE Awards
Canada’s top Sport Events, Volunteers, Sponsors & Leaders to be honoured

OTTAWA, ON: Several more sport tourism events, organizations and leaders will be recognized as the 11th annual PRESTIGE (Program Recognizing Exceptional Sport Tourism Initiatives, Games & Events) Award Program gets underway. The awards, presented by the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (CSTA), will honour the best in sport events, volunteers, organizations, sponsors and leaders in seven different categories. They honour the outstanding contributions of the many different people and organizations that have supported and staged excellent sporting events in the calendar year 2016.

Through the 11 years of the program, recipients have ranged from such major multi-sport events as the 2010 Olympic Winter and Paralympic Games to local community events with a significant grassroots impact. Last year, the PRESTIGE Awards recognized such diverse events as the Tough Mudder Whistler, the 2015 Canada Winter Games, the 2015 Pan Am /ParaPan American Games, and FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015.

“Sport tourism is now a significant force in the national economy and in the tourism industry as Canada continues to be a world leader in bidding for and hosting sport events,” said Rick Traer, CEO, CSTA. “So many outstanding people and organizations contribute to the success of these events all across our country. We are pleased to highlight their tremendous contributions through the PRESTIGE Awards program.”

The PRESTIGE Awards will be presented on Tuesday, March 21, 2017 during the CSTA’s annual Sport Events Congress at the Westin Hotel in Ottawa.

Deadline for nomination: December 22nd at 8:00 p.m. ET.
Nomination criteria and forms for all categories can be found here or follow the links below for the individual online award nomination form.

2017 Award Categories
CSTA Canadian Sport Event of the Year Award presented by Laval Sportcité
• Group A: event budget greater than $1 million
• Group B: event budget less than $1 million
CSTA International Sport Event of the Year Award presented by Tourism Toronto
CSTA Canadian Sport Event Sponsor of the Year Award presented by Adup Display
CSTA Sport Event Volunteer of the Year Award presented by CBC Sports
CSTA Sport Tourism Champion Award presented by ConnectOnCampus
CSTA Sport Tourism Organization of the Year presented by WestJet
CSTA Sustainable Sport Event of the Year Award presented by Edmonton events

List of Past Recipients

About the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance
The Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance is a non-governmental, member-based, capacity building organization that promotes sport tourism as a grassroots economic development initiative at the community level. The CSTA services over 500 members across Canada, including 150 municipalities, 300 national and provincial sport, multi-sport and major games organizations and a variety of other sport and tourism industry partners. Sport tourism is the fastest growing segment of the tourism industry in Canada with approximately $5.2 billion in annual spending by domestic and international visitors.

Twitter
PRESTIGE Awards: #PRESTIGE

For more information on nominations contact:
Kelly Weiss, Marketing & Events Coordinator
(613) 867-5814
awards@canadiansporttourism.com

For media inquiries contact:
Barb MacDonald, Consultant, Communications
(613) 521-7314
bmacdonald@canadiansporttourism.com

 


Water Polo Canada Bid Opportunity – 2018 National Championship League Events

Water Polo Canada (WPC) is seeking a host city in the western zone and a host city in the eastern zone for its 2018 NCL “Championship” events, which will take place in the months of April and May.

RFP Document – Water Polo Canada National Championship League (PDF)

The following events are outlined in detail throughout the document.

Western Zone Eastern Zone
14 and under Western Nationals 14 and under Eastern Nationals
16 and under Conference Championship 16 and under Conference Championship
19 and under Conference Championship 19 and under Conference Championship
19 and under inter-conference Championship Senior National Championships
National Finals (16 and under & 19 and under)

For more information about the NCL please visit the web site: http://www.waterpolo.ca/ncloverview.aspx.

 


Bid Opportunities – 3 Synchro Canada Events!

• 2017 and 2018 Synchro Canada National Qualifier Championships
• 2017 and 2018 Shiseido Canadian Open Synchronized Swimming Championships
• 2017 and 2018 Synchro Canada Espoir Championships
________________________________________

2017 and 2018 Synchro Canada National Qualifier Championships

Synchro Canada is now accepting proposals from Canadian communities interested in hosting the 2017 and 2018 Synchro Canada National Qualifier Championships.

The event attracts participants and visitors from outside the host city – approximately 400 hotel room nights will be reserved by the Synchro Canada Organizing Committee alone, not including those used by family and friends, and spectators attending the event. The positive media exposure generated by hosting an event of this stature provides the host city with a strong platform to promote itself as a national sporting destination.

Synchro Canada National Qualifier events are broadcast in Canada through live streaming on digital platforms.

The Synchro Canada National Qualifier has been hosted previously in the following cities:

• 2016 – Quebec City, Quebec
• 2015 – Victoria, British Colombia 2014 – Montreal, Quebec
• 2013 – Calgary, Alberta

The bid process and site selection for the Synchro Canada National Qualifier will be managed by the Synchro Canada national office.

Bid Document – 2017 and 2018 Synchro Canada National Qualifier Championships (PDF)

________________________________________

2017 and 2018 Shiseido Canadian Open Synchronized Swimming Championships

Synchro Canada is now accepting proposals from Canadian communities interested in hosting the 2017 and 2018 Shiseido Canadian Open Synchronized Swimming Championships.

The event attracts participants and visitors from outside the host city – approximately 400 hotel room nights will be reserved by the Synchro Canada Organizing Committee alone, not including those used by family and friends, and spectators attending the event. The positive media exposure generated by hosting an event of this stature provides the host city with a strong platform to promote itself as a national sporting destination.

Shiseido Canadian Open Synchronized Swimming Championship events are broadcast in Canada through live streaming on digital platforms.

The Shiseido Canadian Open Synchronized Swimming Championships has been hosted previously in the following cities:

• 2016 – Calgary, Alberta
• 2015 – Toronto, Ontario
• 2014 – Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
• 2013 – Quebec City, Quebec

The bid process and site selection for the Shiseido Canadian Open Synchronized Swimming Championships will be managed by the Synchro Canada national office.

Bid Document – 2017 and 2018 Shiseido Canadian Open Synchronized Swimming Championships (PDF)
________________________________________

2017 and 2018 Synchro Canada Espoir Championships

Synchro Canada is now accepting proposals from Canadian communities interested in hosting the 2017 and 2018 Synchro Canada Espoir Championships.

The event attracts participants and visitors from outside the host city – approximately 400 hotel room nights will be reserved by the Synchro Canada Organizing Committee alone, not including those used by family and friends, and spectators attending the event. The positive media exposure generated by hosting an event of this stature provides the host city with a strong platform to promote itself as a national sporting destination.

Synchro Canada Espoir Championships events are broadcast in Canada through live streaming on digital platforms.

The Synchro Canada Espoir Championships has been hosted previously in the following cities:

• 2016 – Winnipeg, Manitoba
• 2015 – Saint John, New Brunswick
• 2014 – Kamloops, British Columbia
• 2013 – Ottawa, Ontario

The bid process and site selection for the Synchro Canada Espoir Championships will be managed by Synchro Canada national office.

Bid Document- 2017 and 2018 Synchro Canada Espoir Championships (PDF)

 


2018 Canadian Gymnaestrada RFP

Gymnastics Canada (GCG) has officially opened the bidding process for the 2018 Canadian Gymnaestrada. GCG will be hosting the event and is looking to partner with a host city.

RFP Document (PDF)