Yellowknife — April 28, 2026
The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) and the City of Yellowknife are working together to advance feasibility work to assess whether the Northwest Territories should pursue a bid to host the 2035 Canada Winter Games. The feasibility work is being undertaken from a territory‑wide perspective and is exploring a range of hosting approaches that could involve multiple Northwest Territories communities in different ways.
As the territory’s largest population centre and a community with much of the existing infrastructure required for a national multisport event, Yellowknife would play a central role in many of the potential hosting scenarios being explored. The City’s close involvement is key to ensuring that any potential approach is realistic, grounded in community capacity, aligned with local priorities, and considers how benefits could extend across the territory. The City welcomes the opportunity to explore working and engaging with communities beyond Yellowknife as the potential for a 2035 Canada Winter Games bid is examined.
A 2035 Canada Winter Games Hosting Feasibility Working Group has been established to guide the study and provide oversight. The Working Group has engaged an experienced contractor to lead the feasibility work and provide technical expertise.
The Working Group includes representatives from government, community, and sport partners:
- City of Yellowknife
- Government of the Northwest Territories
- Indigenous Sports Circle Northwest Territories
- Sport North Federation
- Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce
The Canada Games Council has granted the GNWT an extension until Fall 2026 to determine whether the Northwest Territories will continue to proceed with a bid. This additional time allows for a thorough feasibility study and meaningful engagement with community partners before any decision is made.
The feasibility study is examining a range of potential hosting scenarios, including possible approaches to Games design, locations, infrastructure use, delivery models, and opportunities to co-host or share with other communities within the region or across the North. It is also exploring potential community benefits, such as sport development, youth engagement, volunteerism, economic activity, and long‑term legacy, alongside the costs, risks, and responsibilities associated with hosting.
This work remains exploratory in nature. The Feasibility Report will outline a spectrum of possible hosting scenarios but will not make decisions about hosting the Games. Its purpose is to inform discussion, support engagement with communities and partners, and to help assess whether the Northwest Territories has the capacity and interest to pursue a bid.
The Working Group will engage with key community partners through structured sessions to share the findings, answer questions, and gather feedback on potential hosting scenarios. Community partners will then have time to review the report, provide feedback, and indicate their level of support to help inform the GNWT’s decision on whether to proceed with a bid. If a decision is made to proceed with a bid, additional and broader engagement would follow to further refine hosting concepts, roles, and community legacy objectives.
Any decision to submit a bid will be informed by the feasibility study findings, partner feedback, and a clear understanding of the associated risks, opportunities, and responsibilities.
Quotes
“This extended feasibility period allows us to thoughtfully explore whether hosting the Canada Winter Games is right for the Northwest Territories. By working closely with the City of Yellowknife and community partners, we are focused on understanding both the opportunities and challenges before making any decisions.”
— Hon. Vince McKay, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs
“Hosting the Canada Winter Games could offer meaningful opportunities for economic activity, community pride, and sports development. From the City’s perspective, this feasibility work assesses what it would take to deliver an event of this scale in a way that is realistic, well-coordinated, and aligned with our community’s capacity. Our role is to ensure those opportunities are carefully considered alongside infrastructure, operational, and service impacts.”
— Ben Hendriksen, Mayor, City of Yellowknife
Quick Facts
- The Canada Winter Games are Canada’s largest multisport event, held every four years.
- The GNWT and the City of Yellowknife are conducting an exploratory feasibility study to assess the potential to host the 2035 Canada Winter Games.
- A contractor with extensive experience in major event operations, including executive roles with previous Canada Games, has been engaged to lead the hosting feasibility study.
- A 2035 Canada Winter Games Feasibility Working Group has been established to help shape the project plan and provide oversight and feedback.
- The Canada Games Council has granted the GNWT an extension until fall 2026 to allow time for a thorough feasibility study and meaningful community engagement.
- The feasibility study is exploring a range of potential hosting scenarios that reflect northern realities, community capacity, and potential community benefits.
Related Links
For media requests, please contact:
Peter Tah
Manager, Public Affairs and Communications
Department of Municipal and Community Affairs
Government of the Northwest Territories
Peter_Tah@gov.nt.ca
867-767-9162 ext. 21012
Saxon Chung
Corporate Communications Advisor
Economic Opportunities and Investments
City of Yellowknife
communications@yellowknife.ca
