The Canada Games () is a multi-sport event held every two years, alternating between the winter and summer games. They represent the highest level of national competition for Canadian athletes, with athlete age eligibility rules varying by sport. Two separate programs are organized in order to cover the seasons: the Canada Summer Games (CSG) and the Canada Winter Games (CWG).

The first Canada Winter Games were the 1967 Canada Winter Games, and the most recent were the 2023 Canada Winter Games which took place from February 18 to March 5 in the province of Prince Edward Island. The next winter event, the 2027 Canada Winter Games, will be hosted in Quebec City, Quebec from February 27 to March 14.

The first Canada Summer Games were the 1969 Canada Summer Games, and the most recent were the 2025 Canada Summer Games which took place August 9–24 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. The next summer event, the 2029 Canada Summer Games, will be hosted in Moncton and Saint John, New Brunswick.

History The Games were first held in 1967 in Quebec City as part of Canada's Centennial celebrations. For the first time in Canada's history, 1,800 athletes from 10 provinces and two territories gathered to compete in 15 sports. Since 1967, over 75,000 athletes have participated in the Games. The Games have been hosted in every province at least once since their inception in Quebec City during Canada’s Centennial in 1967. Journalist Eddie MacCabe wrote a history book for the 25th anniversary of the Canada Games in 1992.

Facility development Facilities built for the Canada GamesFacilityGamesCity and ProvinceCanada Games Pool1973New Westminster, British ColumbiaAquarena1977St. John's, NewfoundlandCanada Games Aquatic Centre1985Saint John, New BrunswickHillside Stadium and Aquatic Centre1993Kamloops, British ColumbiaCorner Brook Canada Games Centre and Annex1999Corner Brook, NewfoundlandTD Waterhouse Stadium2001London, OntarioYukon University athlete's village (student residences)2007Whitehorse, YukonCanada Games Centre2011 Clayton Park, Halifax, Nova ScotiaCanada Games Sport For Life Centre2017Winnipeg, ManitobaCanada Games Park2022Thorold, OntarioFortis Canada Games Complex2025St John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

Sports Over the history of the Canada Games, more than 30 sports have been featured, a variety of sports have been added and dropped at various points within the Summer Games and Winter Games programs. The winter games include some sports not associated with winter.

The 2025 Canada Summer Games featured artistic swimming, athletics, baseball, basketball, box lacrosse, canoe-kayak, cycling, mountain biking, road cycling, diving, golf, rugby sevens, sailing, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, volleyball, beach volleyball, volleyball, and wrestling.

The 2023 Canada Winter Games featured alpine skiing, archery, badminton, biathlon, boxing, cross-country skiing, curling, fencing, figure skating, freestyle skiing, gymnastics, hockey, judo, karate, ringette, short track speed skating, snowboarding, speed skating, squash, table tennis, and wheelchair basketball.

Organization The games are governed by the Canada Games Council, a private, non-profit organization. As the Games move from one host community to the next, the Council provides the continuity, leadership and support to Host Societies in key areas such as sport technical, organizational planning, ceremonies and protocol, marketing and sponsorship. In addition, the Canada Games Council ensures effective long-term partnerships with national sport organizations, governments and the corporate sector. The Canada Games Council is a well-established, national organization that fosters on-going partnerships with organizations at the municipal, provincial and national levels.

Host Society

The individual games are run by the local Host Society, a non-profit private organization that is established 2–4 years prior to the event. The Host Society functions in accordance with an agreement between the Canada Games Council, the government of Canada, the government of the province or territory and the government of the municipality. The Canada Games Council maintains and secures long-term partnership agreements with governments, corporations and national sport organizations.

Funding

Funding for the games comes from the several levels of government together with donations and corporate sponsorships. A considerable portion of the work during the games is performed by local volunteers.

Hosts The host cities have not been chosen for the games after 2029, but the provinces through 2037 have.

Summer EditionYearCompetitorsSports11969Halifax7151521973New Westminster – Burnaby1,6761631977St. John's1,7091841981Thunder Bay1,8131851985Saint John2,4651861989Saskatoon2,4651871993Kamloops3,2531781997Brandon3,3641992001London3,48718102005Regina3,51116112009Charlottetown-Summerside3,43218122013Sherbrooke3,36119132017Winnipeg3,38218142022*Niagara Region5,000+18152025St. John's4,000+19162029Moncton-Saint John172033TBD182037TBD The 2022 Canada Games were scheduled to be held in 2021, but were rescheduled to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Winter EditionYearCompetitorsSports11967Quebec City5571521971Saskatoon6871731975Lethbridge6641741979Brandon1,9621751983Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean1,9001961987Cape Breton1,9951771991Charlottetown2,3041981995Grande Prairie2,2842191999Corner Brook2,80821102003Bathurst-Campbellton2,60621112007Whitehorse2,67822122011Halifax2,23820132015Prince George2,34520142019Red Deer2,37720152023Prince Edward Island3,60021162027Quebec CityTBDTBD172031TBDTBDTBDTBDTBD

Host provinces/territories + List of regions ranked by times hosting Canada Games Rank Province/Territory Summer Winter Total1 1 (2013) 3 (1967, 1983, 2027, 2031) 52 2 (1969, 2037) 2 (1987, 2011) 4 3 (1989, 2005, 2033) 1 (1971) 44 0 3 (1975, 1995, 2019) 3 2 (1973, 1993) 1 (2015) 3 2 (1997, 2017) 1 (1979) 3 2 (1985, 2029) 1 (2003) 3 2 (1977, 2025) 1 (1999) 3 1 (2009) 2 (1991, 2023) 3 3 (1981, 2001, 2022) 0 311 0 1 (2007) 112 0 00 0 00

Map of host cities

All-time medal tables For Games medal standings see List of Canada Games. +As of the 2025 Canada Games Rank Province/Territory Gold  SilverBronze Total1 1392 1193 1100 36852 1237 1076 1035 33483 819 867 845 25314 547 635 733 18155 212 290 379 8816 190 240 327 7577 237 240 300 7378 79 103 180 3629 23 52 74 14910 12 23 31 6511 16 23 21 6012 7 6 9 2213 1 0 1 2 +Summer Games Rank Province/territory Gold  SilverBronze Total1 826 633 602 20612 499 541 520 15603 517 497 435 14494 254 304 339 8975 174 167 153 494 6 113 161 202 4767 72 113 151 336 8 38 52 64 1549 5 23 27 5510 5 6 5 1611 2 1 3 612 0 0 0 013 1 0 0 1 +Winter Games Rank Province/territory Gold  SilverBronze Total1 691 499 482 16722 496 501 457 14543 284 326 370 9904 258 301 359 9185 109 118 162 389 6 98 115 164 3777 41 61 91 1938 38 46 108 192 9 17 23 47 8710 14 20 18 5211 6 17 25 4812 7 6 9 2213 0 0 1 1

Medal leaders by year Canada Summer Games medal table leaders by year:

1969: 1973: 1977: 1981: 1985: 1989: 1993: 1997: 2001: 2005: 2009: 2013: 2017: 2022: 2025:

Canada Winter Games medal table leaders by year:

1967: 1971: 1975: 1979: 1983: 1987: 1991: 1995: 1999: 2003: 2007: 2011: 2015: 2019: 2023:

Number of occurrences: – 17 times (14 Summer; 3 Winter) – 12 times (12 Winter) – 1 time (1 Summer)

See also

BC Games BC Summer Games BC Winter Games Western Canada Summer Games Alberta Winter Games Saskatchewan Games Saskatchewan Summer Games Saskatchewan Winter Games Manitoba Games Ontario Games Quebec Games

References

External links Official site