‘If you build it, they will come’: Listeners weigh in on N.W.T.’s potential 2035 Canada Winter Games bid
As the government of the Northwest Territories surveys residents on whether the territory should put in a bid to host the 2035 Canada Winter Games, CBC’s The Trailbreaker asked listeners to weigh in with their thoughts on the idea.
The Trailbreaker host Shannon Scott was joined by Mike Olesen, one of the consultants behind a feasibility study, which was released earlier this month by the territorial government.
Earlier in the show, Olesen talked about the ultimate costs of hosting the games, saying the estimated cost ranges between $51 million and $55 million at this time, with a few caveats.
“The challenge with that number is trying to forecast out to 2035 and also looking at what… [that] would look like in relation to the North, as it hasn’t yet been hosted in the N.W.T.,” Olesen said.
The report breaks down an estimated funding model as follows: $13.7 million from the federal government, $8.1 million from the territorial government, $1 million from national sponsorships and $32.8 million generated from the host society.
Olesen explained the host society is a legal independent organization formed by the government body that’s committing to the bid.
The organization would be responsible for managing the games with the funding it generates from various sources like sponsorships, ticket sales, and merchandise sales.
Regina’s Logan Pletz shoots in the biathlon at the 2019 Canada Winter Games in Red Deer, Alta. Oleson said the N.W.T.’s biathlon facilities would likely need to be improved to host the games. (Submitted by Logan Pletz)
“Then there’s other elements, whether that be through fund development, fundraising, and interest earned,” Olesen said.
He said their base model for capital contributions for the host would be about $9 million —with the funding coming from Ottawa, the territory, and the host municipality, depending on how hosting responsibility would end up being allocated.
Olesen said they found, in the process of creating the report, there is already a lot of useful infrastructure in the territory. But some improvements would still be needed.
That includes improvements to cross-country ski and biathlon facilities, and the potential construction of “an additional NHL-sized arena,” Olesen said — all depending on the strategy set out by the host.
“Probably the most major infrastructure project would be to build the athletes village,” Olesen continued. The athlete’s village provides accommodations during the games, but could also be converted to housing after the games end.
Olesen said it could result in “a really strong legacy of housing, which is needed in the region.”
Listeners chime in
J.J. Hirst in Hay River is an athlete and coach. He noted the cost of hosting the games is high, but sees it as an opportunity for sport development in the North.
“I see it as an investment,” Hirst said. “Maybe it’s more expensive not to have things happen.”
“We showcase the North to get exposure … and maybe that brings people in,” he said. “We keep families and we keep people here because of what we have.”
Penny Pokiak, also from Hay River, is the former president of Hay River Minor Hockey. She thinks the Canada Winter Games is great, but not a good use of resources.
“It’s too big of a project for the North to chew off,” Pokiak said. “I don’t think it’s a good use of our funds or our resources when we have too many other big things that we’re trying to make happen or get better at this moment.”
Athletes at the closing ceremonies of the 2023 Canada Winter Games in P.E.I. Recent hosts have included Red Deer, Alta.; Prince George, B.C.; and Whitehorse.
From Yellowknife, John Stephenson called himself an “unabashed supporter of multi-game winter opportunities” and referenced the famous line from the 1989 film Field of Dreams.
“‘If you build it, they will come,’” Stephenson said. “So I say, let’s go for it.”
“It’s certainly a sports event, but as the host we get to decide how we want to showcase the North in terms of art, in terms of music, in terms of Indigenous engagement, and our natural environment,” he said.
David Gilday is a former speed skating coach based in Yellowknife, he mentioned a lot of work would need to be done to bring facilities up to standard, and the weather might factor into outdoor events.
“Here, the consultants have said, ‘Maybe you can run the long-track [speed skating] on Frame Lake or on outdoor ice,’” Gilday said. “We tried that years ago for short-track when arena space was at a premium.”
He said the natural ice created an issue for speed skaters. Even with a Zamboni, they found cracks in the ice posed a risk to the athletes.
“You’re going fast. You’re not looking down at the ice,” Gilday said. “I don’t know how they would manage ice cracks if we did it on a natural lake.”
The territorial government is asking residents to respond to a survey on the potential bid. The survey, including a link to the study Olesen co-authored, can be found online.
The deadline for responses is June 25, 2026.
LISTEN | The Trailbreaker asks listeners to weigh in on N.W.T.’s potential Canada Winter Games bid:
The Trailbreaker29:56N.W.T. residents weigh in on potential bid to host 2035 Canada Winter Games
