Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Vince McKay, issued the following statement today about the territory’s decision not to proceed with hosting the 2028 Arctic Winter Games:

“The Northwest Territories (NWT) has made the difficult decision to not proceed with hosting the 2028 Arctic Winter Games, which the territory was slated to host for the first time since the Games were held in the South Slave Region in 2018.

“I have informed the Arctic Winter Games International Committee (AWGIC) that it would not be feasible for the NWT to host the Games in 2028 for a range of reasons and have asked the committee to consider the territory as a potential host beyond 2030 instead.

“While engaging with potential host communities, several common concerns emerged, including decreased volunteer and community capacities and decreased availability of facilities, accommodations, restaurants/food services, health, and other supporting services for travelling teams, spectators, and volunteers necessary to help organize such a large event.

“Many NWT communities are also still recovering from recent emergency events and long-lasting impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. Delaying hosting will allow the territory to improve its capacity to host future events.

“I want to stress to the AWGIC, communities, territorial sports organizations, athletes, coaches, volunteers, and families that this decision was not taken lightly.

“The Government of the Northwest Territories recognizes the incredible value of the Arctic Winter Games in promoting athletic competition and cultural exchange amongst youth from across the North. These Games not only help develop sport in the NWT, they promote community and individual wellness, create leadership opportunities, and leave a lasting impression on everyone who participates. Having the opportunity to host events and compete against peers on home soil is even more special.

“Going forward, we will continue to engage with the AWGIC to address concerns about the sustainability of the Arctic Winter Games given their size and frequency under the current hosting model and the resultant impacts on host communities.

“While this was a difficult decision to make, I understand the very real challenges some of our communities are facing and appreciate our ongoing collaboration with the AWGIC. I am confident that Team NT will proudly represent the territory in Whitehorse in 2026 and in another jurisdiction in 2028, and I look forward to hosting the Arctic Winter Games again beyond 2030.”

For media requests, please contact:
Cabinet Communications
Government of the Northwest Territories
PressSecretary@gov.nt.ca