Calgary to host 2024 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games
Calgary has been selected as the host city for the 2024 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games.
"Calgary is proud to have been chosen as host city for the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games 2024," said Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek in a release.
“We look forward to sharing our great facilities and our inclusive community spirit will welcome all with open arms. I know Calgarians will volunteer in great numbers to ensure that this event delivers the experience of a lifetime for these amazing athletes and their families."
Alberta has a history of hosting Special Olympics events. The 2024 event will be the fourth time the national games are held in the province, and Calgary previously hosted the Special Olympics Alberta Winter Provincial Games in 2019, as well as the 1988 Winter Olympic Games.
"Having previously hosted international and national events, we know Calgary will go above and beyond to deliver an exceptional games experience for the hundreds of athletes participating at Special Olympics Canada’s signature sport competition," said Special Olympics Canada CEO Sharon Bollenbach.
"Our athletes have been anxiously waiting for an announcement of the next national games since February of 2020. To say they will be ecstatic to hear the news of Special Olympics Canada Winter Games 2024 in Calgary is an understatement."
The city will host around 1,300 participants during the event, in addition to officials, family, friends and honoured guests. Tourism Calgary says it anticipates the event will pump over $9 million into the city's economy.
"Calgary knows what it takes to host large scale sporting events and just as important is our track record as ultimate hosts. The incredible athletes, along with family, friends, supporters, coaches and officials can all expect a warm welcome to our city and a fun-filled event complete with the chance to experience Calgary's new winter festival, Chinook Blast," said Tourism Calgary CEO Cindy Ady.
The Special Olympics Canada Winter Games is a national sporting event for Canadian athletes with an intellectual disability. Athletes will compete in one of eight different sports; five pin bowling, alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, curling, figure skating, floor hockey, snowshoeing and speed skating.
"The sport community in Calgary looks forward to celebrating the hard work of the athletes, coaches and officials and hearing their stories," said Olympic gold medal winner Catriona Le May Doan, the president and CEO of Sport Calgary and a Special Olympics board member.
"Calgary is a city withstrong commitment to providing diverse opportunities in sport to individuals of all abilities. Sport connects us all and we’re excited to bring this amazing event to our city."
The Special Olympics Canada Winter Games were last held in 2020 in Thunder Bay, Ont.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
BREAKING Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
On federal budget, Macklem says 'fiscal track has not changed significantly'
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canada's fiscal position has 'not changed significantly' following the release of the federal government's budget.