COVID-19 has cancelled one of Canada’s biggest amateur sporting events.
The Canada Games Council announced Wednesday that the upcoming Canada Summer Games has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The games, which attract more than 5,000 participants and 4,000 volunteers, were to be held August 2021 in Ontario’s Niagara Region but will be rescheduled to sometime in summer 2022.
Held bi-annually, the Canada Games are a major amateur sporting event, representing the level of national competition for thousands of up-and-coming Canadian athletes. Athletes that have attended the games in previous years include Andre De Grasse, Eugenie Bouchard, Sidney Crosby, Steve Nash, Russell Martin, Cindy Klassen, Sam Lenarduzzi, Catriona Le May Doan, Adam van Koeverden, Hayley Wickenheiser, Lennox Lewis, among numerous others.
The games alternate between summer and winter and are one of Canada’s largest multi-sport events.
“All of our athletes, coaches and volunteers are top of mind for us in deciding to postpone the Games. No doubt this decision will be disappointing for those who have been training and preparing for the 2021 Games, but we hope to find their understanding and support,” Evan Johnston, board chair of the Canada Games Council, said in a press release. “We made this difficult decision now, after careful consideration, to protect the health of Canadians and give all stakeholders more time to adjust their preparations.”
Due to the ongoing Covid-19 Pandemic, The Canada Games Council and the 2021 Canada Games Host Society have decided to postpone the 2021 Canada Games@2021CanadaGameshttps://t.co/peuEIbHf9s
— Canada Games / Jeux du Canada (@CanadaGames) September 16, 2020
The Canada Games Council said the ongoing pandemic would have prevented them from delivering a “phenomenal” experience, both in terms of sporting competitions and cultural events. They also said the decision means athletes, fans and the Niagara community will be “better protected” as it allows the council more time to figure out how to hold the games safely.
“We felt it was the right choice to make,” said Doug Hamilton, chair of the 2021 Canada Games Host Society. “In all likelihood, moving ahead with the Canada Summer Games in 2021 would have prevented us from hosting the Games’ sport competitions and cultural events in the way that they were originally envisioned. By delaying the Games to the summer of 2022, we hope to give Games participants a greater opportunity to maximize their experience, while also ensuring that Niagara can realize the full potential of hosting Canada’s largest multi-sport event.”
The decision was made in consultation with the federal government, the Ontario provincial government, and the Niagara Region.
Dates have not been determined for the rescheduled Canada Summer Games, which will remain in the Niagara Region.
The Canada Games Council announced the upcoming 2021 games in August has been postponed to 2021. The games were set to take place in southern Ontario. (Photo: Canada Games Council/Facebook)
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