April 20, 2012 – The 2011 Canada Winter Games has been named as the 2012 Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (CSTA) President’s Award winner for a National Multi-Sport Games.

The President’s Award recognizes the outstanding achievements or contributions by individuals, organizations, single or multi-sport events that have helped profile and build sport tourism in Canada, provide exceptional sporting opportunities, generate significant revenue, or demonstrate the value of volunteerism.

“The success of the 2011 Winter Canada Games helped generate in excess of 130-million-dollars in economic activity in Nova Scotia,” says Canada Games Council Chairman Tom Quinn. “The infrastructure and the financial surplus had a tremendous impact on the community and will create lasting legacies for generations to come.”

The 2011 Canada Winter Games was the largest multi-sport event ever held in Nova Scotia and Halifax’s first Canada Winter Games. From February 11 to 27, 2011, more than 2,700 athletes competed in more than 20 sports, attracting thousands of visitors, VIPs, officials and media. Over the course of 17 exciting days, over 16,000 Canada Games conversations took place on twitter, more than 11,500 people visited Halifax for the Games, and 400,000 people streamed Games action live via the web.

“At all levels, the 2011 Canada Winter Games were a success,” says 2011 Canada Games CEO Chris Morrissey. “More than 1,100 jobs were created supporting $40 million in wages and salaries, the Canada Games Oval has recently become a permanent sports facility on the Halifax Common, an estimated 50,000 people attended free concerts in Celebration Square at Grand Parade, and more than 2,700 athletes had the opportunity to compete for gold.”

The Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance PRESTIGE Awards were established to celebrate the people, places and events that make the Canadian sport tourism industry so dynamic and important to the economic fabric of our communities. The PRESTIGE Awards were presented yesterday at a gala luncheon event which took place in conjunction with CSTA’s annual conference, Sport Events Congress.

The Canada Games Council congratulates all 2012 winners and nominees.

April 18, 2012 – The Canada Games Council is pleased to announce the launch of the 2013 and 2015 Canada Games Aboriginal Apprentice Coach Program and Women in Coaching Program.

The Aboriginal Apprentice Coach Program (AACP) is a partnership between the Aboriginal Sport Circle (ASC), the Provincial/Territorial Aboriginal Sport Bodies (PTASB), the Provincial/Territorial Coaching Representatives (PTCR), the Canada Games Council (CGC) and the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC). The program provides the opportunity for each Province and Territory to send two coaches of aboriginal ancestry to the Canada Games in apprenticeship roles.

“The Aboriginal Apprentice Coach Program is a great opportunity for Aboriginal coaches in Canada who may not otherwise get a chance to participate in a high level games competition such as the Canada Games,” says Anthony Sauvé, Manager of Aboriginal Coach Development with the CAC. “The coaches who have flowed through this program have had the opportunity to be mentored under top level coaches in their respective sport discipline.”

The WiC program is a partnership between the PTCR, the CGC and the CAC. This program provides the opportunity for each Province and Territory to send two female coaches to the Canada Games in apprenticeship roles.

“The Women in Coaching Canada Games apprenticeship program is a tremendous sport partnership which enables aspiring women high performance coaches to get the necessary experience and training to advance their coaching education and skills,” says Sheilagh Croxon, WiC Program Consultant with the CAC. “To be involved in all aspects of training, receive support from an identified mentor coach, and to attend the Canada Games are all extremely valuable opportunities.”

The purpose of the Canada Games apprentice coach programs is to provide aboriginal and women coaches with a practical and integrated major national multi-sport games experience.

Selected coaches have direct involvement in preparation and competition and receive support from an identified mentor coach throughout the duration of the program.

Apprentice Programs – 2
“The introduction of the first Canada Games Apprentice Coach Program in 2005 has paved the way to increased participation of women and aboriginal coaches in the largest multi-sport event in Canada,” says Sue Hylland, President and CEO of the Canada Games Council. “We are proud to see so many coaches who have participated in the programs further their development and go on to coach at national and international competitions.”

The Canada Games have featured apprenticeship coach programs in every Games since the 2005 Canada Summer Games in Regina, Saskatchewan. The 2005 through 2011 Canada Games have featured the WiC program, while the AACP was introduced originally as a pilot project for the 2009 and 2011 Canada Games.

Peggy Falkenham-Boutilier values the role that the WiC Program has played in her development as a coach. “The program helped to model a way forward by helping define values, inspiring a vision, identifying opportunities, and fostering collaboration,” says Peggy, a Biathlon coach from Nova Scotia who participated in the 2011 WiC Program. “It cultured opportunities with other women in sport and those relationships are tremendously valuable. An opportunity like this kept me focused.”

Hailing from Saskatchewan, Jonathan Smith was an Apprentice Coach at the 2009 Canada Games in PEI in wrestling. “Overall it’s challenging to get coaching positions, but I’m in a much better position now,” Jonathan says. One of the pillars of the AACP states that ongoing professional development will play a crucial role in the overall success of the program.

Jonathan has embraced this component and utilized the experience he gained at the Games to go on to coach the Carlton High School Wrestling team in Prince Albert as well as the University of Regina Wrestling team.

Coaches interested in either the WiC Program or AACP at the 2013 and/or 2015 Canada Games should consult the program guidelines posted on the CGC website HERE.

February 10, 2011 (Ottawa, ON) – The Canada Games, along with TSN and RDS (Le Réseau des Sports), have announced the official broadcast schedule of the Halifax 2011 Canada Games in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

“The Canada Games are proud to have broadcasters the caliber of TSN and RDS as national partners,” says Sue Hylland President and CEO for the Canada Games Council. “On top of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, the TSN and RDS broadcast will feature Curling, Boxing, Snowboarding and Hockey; including the men’s and women’s gold medal games.”

TSN’s comprehensive schedule on TSN and TSN2 will include 40 hours of coverage. RDS will also air 40 hours of French coverage on its French sports network and its French news information channel RIS. In addition, all 40 hours of coverage will be available on demand on TSN.ca and RDS.ca.

To find the complete Broadcast Schedule, click HERE.

This will mark the seventh Canada Games televised on TSN / RDS, beginning with the 1997 Canada Summer Games in Brandon, Manitoba, the 1999 Canada Winter Games in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, the 2001 Games in London, the 2003 Games in Bathurst-Campbellton, New Brunswick, the 2007 Games in Whitehorse, Yukon and the 2009 Games in Prince Edward Island.

“The Canada Games offer a great opportunity to once again put a national spotlight on amateur sports and the next generation of elite Canadian athletes,” said Stewart Johnston, President of TSN. “TSN is proud to be the official broadcaster and we are looking forward to giving fans all of the action coming out of Halifax.”

The 2011 Canada Winter Games will be held February 11 to 27, 2011, with an estimated 3,600 athletes, coaches and officials supported by 5,000 volunteers, and over 10,000 visitors from across Canada. The Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) will be the main centre for the Games with the towns of Sackville, Windsor and Wentworth also hosting events.

“With this coverage, we’re well on our way to making the Halifax 2011 Canada Games the most covered Canada Games in history,” said 2011 Games CEO, Chris Morrissey. “TSN’s support is integral to telling the stories of our amazing athletes and artists.”

In addition to the conventional broadcast coverage, for the first time ever, the Canada Games will also feature live webstreaming coverage for the majority of the sports on the program. Go to www.canadagames.ca for complete schedules.