The Games featured 16 sports, over 250 events and a major ... 2017 Canada Summer Games left a lasting legacy of new and
2018 PRESTIGE AWARDS FINALISTS (in alphabetical order)
CSTA Canadian Sport Event of the Year Award (Group A: budget greater than $1 million) presented by Ottawa Tourism
2017 Canada Summer Games, (Winnipeg, Man.) This country’s largest multi-sport event for young athletes, the organizers of the 2017 Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg delivered an exception experience. They put athletes first, strengthened and showcased the communities, and invited the nation to celebrate two milestones – 50 years of the Canada Games and 150 years of Confederation. The Games featured 16 sports, over 250 events and a major cultural festival. The event welcomed over 4,000 athletes and coaches and more than 20,000 visitors. The 2017 Canada Summer Games left a lasting legacy of new and enhanced sport facilities, volunteer and leadership development that will benefit athletes and the broader community for years to come.
2017 Tim Hortons Brier, (St. John’s, Nfld.) The 2017 Tim Hortons Brier was one of the most successful in Curling Canada’s 90-year history of the prestigious event. For eight days the City of St. John’s, Newfoundland, came alive with a sense of civic pride, fueled by a significant economic stimulus during a traditionally slower time in the tourism calendar. With competition held at Mile One Centre and the world-famous Briar Patch taking place across the street at the new state of the art St. John’s Convention Centre, a monumental buzz was created that resonated right across the country. By all measures, the national men’s curling championships were an overwhelming success from capacity crowds to an economic impact measured at $10.1 million dollars, and the creation of a significant financial legacy that will fund grassroots curling development.
Invictus Games Toronto 2017, (Toronto, Ont.) Much more than an eight-day sporting competition, the Invictus Games Toronto 2017 captured the hearts and minds of Canadians as they witnessed the power of sport to heal. A Paralympic style multi-sport event for physically and mentally wounded servicemen and women, these Games drew 550 competitors from 17 nations. Established by Prince Harry in 2014, the Invictus Games are the only international sporting event for ill, wounded and injured active duty and veteran service members. Toronto hosted the 3rd edition of the Invictus Games with competition held in 12 adaptive sports, many using legacy venues from the 2015 Pan American Games. It drew worldwide media attention and streaming was seen in 111 countries.
CSTA Canadian Sport Event of the Year Award (Group B: budget less than $1 million) presented by Ottawa Tourism
2017 Ontario ParaSport Winter Games, (Brantford/County of Brant, Ont.) Two mid-sized communities, the City of Brantford and the County of Brant, hosted a spectacular #WeCanDoAnything themed 2017 Ontario ParaSport Winter Games, which included 11 sports, and 364 athletes, coaches, officials and support staff. The creative brand program celebrated the abilities of the persons with ‘different abilities’ while also marketing to able bodied markets. The required colour palate for persons with sight disabilities was incorporated into the Games brand, Braille was included in hard collateral pieces and signing/sub-headings and closed captioning was available to all involved in the Games. Supported by the Ontario government through its Games Ontario program, they provided an exceptional experience for all the athletes, whether this was the pinnacle of their career or a stepping stone to international competition.
2017 World Junior A Challenge, (Truro, N.S.) Hockey Canada’s World Junior A Challenge, in partnership with the Canadian Junior Hockey League, featured two Canadian teams representing East and West, as well as four international entries over a 13game tournament. Last hosted in Nova Scotia in 2013, this was the most significant event Truro has hosted in decades. From the kick-off reception to the gold medal game, there was a buzz throughout the community. Over 170 scouts and dozens of media attended. The gold medal game brought out over 3,000 fans and the feedback from fans, players, scouts, Hockey Canada staff and family members from around the world was tremendously positive. The Rath Eastlink Community Centre upgraded its de-humidification system, resulting in top-quality ice throughout the tournament and is a legacy for the community.
BMO NBA Courts Across Canada, (Haida Gwaii, B.C; Saskatoon, Sask.; Brandon, Man.; Kitchener, Ont.; Québec City, Que., Dartmouth, N.S.; Moncton, N.B.) This multi-city, multi-consumer program extended from an extraordinarily remote and culturally sensitive community in the Queen Charlotte Islands, to New Brunswick. BMO NBA Courts Across Canada is a grassroots initiative to grow the sport of basketball and engage youth via the NBA brand/Players/Legends while promoting physical and mental benefits: fitness, teamwork, personal development and perseverance. In three locations much-needed full refurbishment of local community centres’ indoor basketball courts was provided, including in two First Nation communities. At 15 clinics for local youth, NBA clinicians helped train and motivate youth coaches in each region. The NBA Legends and Players were on the court doing workouts, offering individual shooting tips, motivation and coaching for hours each day, bridging cultural/geographic distances and creating unforgettable and lasting sport experiences.
CSTA International Sport Event of the Year Award presented by Edmonton Events
2017 Ford World Men’s Curling Championships, (Edmonton, Alta.) The Ford Men’s World Curling Championship showcased curling at its highest level. The 2017 event also provided a framework to promote and develop curling at a recreational and competitive level through the recruitment of new participants, on ice skill development, increased awareness and increased involvement and retention of current participants. It provided a network and technical business information to improve the effectiveness and facilities management and a framework for hosting regional provincial and territorial competitions leading to Canadian Championships. The global TV audience for live and highlight coverage was over 128 million. Over 85,200 attended over the course of the event, and more than 4,800 were out-of-town visitors leading to significant economic activity.
ATB Tour of Alberta, (Edmonton, Alta.) The ATB Tour of Alberta is Canada’s first and highest ranked professional road cycling stage race. An international audience of over 40 million viewers witnessed +100 of the world’s best cyclists racing across the diverse and beautiful landscape of Alberta’s urban and rural roads throughout the four-day stage race. More than 30 communities served as an ‘official host community’ and many others were featured as the professional cyclists raced through. At each Start and Finish location, there was a free festival packed with live entertainment, interactive vendors, local food varieties and activities. It has become a signature event in Edmonton, for spectators, and a loyal and passionate volunteer base. Edmonton is the only North American stop on the international Velothon circuit sanctioned by the UCI.
FISE World Edmonton 2017, (Edmonton, Alta.) Hosting such extreme sporting events as FISE World Edmonton has garnered an impressive reputation for Edmonton as Canada’s action-sports hub. The September multi-discipline action sports event is part of the FISE World Series, the world’s largest action sports circuit. Edmonton is one stop on a tour that includes France; Croatia; USA; and China. It features some of the world's most daring athletes who compete in BMX, mountain bike, amateur competitions and more. With an accessible and inclusive atmosphere, children can meet professional athletes, interact with them, ride together, and then watch them compete amongst the best in the world. The success of the event has led to FISE establishing its new North American headquarters in Edmonton.
CSTA Canadian Sport Event Sponsor of the Year Award presented by Adup Display
RECIPIENT Freson Bros. - 2017 Freson Bros. Canadian Ringette Championships, (Leduc, Alta.) A family-owned, Alberta independent grocer, Freson Bros., was the title sponsor for the 2017 Canadian Ringette Championships. The owners, Mike and Gloria Lovsin wanted to be more than a sponsor, they wanted to be a partner and were both actively involved; Gloria as the Hosting and Athlete Services Chair, while Mike was instrumental in supplying and catering the VIP reception and the closing banquet. Freson Bros. built a volunteer check-in booth that was in keeping with the Wild out West theme and turned the closing banquet into a hoe down. The BBQ and pig roast were cooked and served by Mike Lovsin and his team from the store. A video crew, sponsored by Freson Bros. captured footage and highlights of the event and the athlete experience. With their support a substantial legacy fund was generated with over $170,000 donated to several groups and the ringette clubs responsible for the organization of the event.
CSTA Sport Event Volunteer of the Year Award presented by Québec Destination affaires
Sachin Kotecha, Events Director, Quidditch Canada, (Waterloo, Ont.) Although Sachin Kotecha is a full-time student at the University of Waterloo, he is Involved in the creation of each Quidditch Canada Championship from beginning to end. He diligently oversees each and every event, helping to market the sport to host cities across Canada and then facilitating the bidding process and chairing the selection committee. At the 2017 Eastern and Western Regional Championships he oversaw the community engagement sessions that involved quidditch sessions at local schools prior to the event, engaging 100s of students, as well as a try-it session and snitch challenge during the event. These new add-ons helped to engage the community in new and exciting ways. Sachin’s exceptional leadership skills and a strong commitment to collaboration has elevated the profile of quidditch and created a lasting legacy.
Robbie Larter, Rogers Hometown Hockey Tour; 2017 World Sledge Hockey Challenge, (Charlottetown, P.E.I.) Robbie Larter is the ideal volunteer - dedicated and enthusiastic to do whatever it takes to ensure the best outcomes for the municipality/LOC, rights holder, and most importantly the athlete/fan. An active committee member of the 2017 World Sledge Hockey Challenge, Robbie brought her work ethic and drive for seamless organization as Chair of the Medical and Volunteer Committees. Her portfolios had substantial impact on the success of the event, coupled with the experience and care of the athletes. A special needs educator by trade, and a proud local champion, a legacy of this nature is truly near and dear to Robbie’s heart as it allows for the full inclusion of physically disabled athletes in sport.
Paul Van Nostrand, 2017 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, (Fort St. John, B.C.) When Fort St. John and Dawson Creek were the successful bidders to host the 2017 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, the first call that was made, was to Paul Van Nostrand. As Chair of the local organizing committee he led the two communities to co-host a successful and exciting international hockey event. He is always described as the “ultimate volunteer” and the “go-to-guy”. With his strong leadership skills, “get done” attitude, and cheerful disposition when he joins a community organization or an event planning committee, there is a strong contingent of followers to help organize, with volunteers not far behind. With his previous success of leading committees, he went on to make this past year’s event even better than before.
CSTA Sport Tourism Champion Award presented by ConnectOnCampus
Darrell Cox, Manager, Major Events, Ottawa Tourism, (Ottawa, Ont.) Over the years Darrell Cox has been involved in numerous bids and host committees, but 2017 was a record year for the number of sporting events hosted in Ottawa, which not only created significant "pride of place" for Ottawa residents, but also generated close to $190M in economic impact for local businesses. Previously Darrell led the development of the partnership between the City of Ottawa and Ottawa Tourism to create the Major Events Office in Ottawa Tourism, creating the City's Bid More, Win More, Host More strategy. He played a key role in partnering with the City of Ottawa and the Ottawa Sport Council in the development of the Sport Asset Solution to provide detailed, accessible information on Ottawa’s sport facilities. He has also helped develop the Ottawa House of Sport offering National (NSO) and Multi-Sport (MSO) organizations the opportunity to house their national offices in a feature rich environment.
Jean-Marc Fournier, Minister responsible for Canadian Relations and the Canadian Francophonie; Government House Leader, (Québec City, Que.) As the proponent and advocate of the Sport and Physical Activity Development Fund, Jean-Marc Fournier has directly impacted the hosting of international sport events and the updating of existing sport and recreation facilities. In 2006, Jean-Marc Fournier, then Minister of Education, Recreation and Sport, convinced the Québec Minister of Finance to use part of the sales tax on tobacco to create the Fund. It was a forward-looking decision that would have a major impact in the sport community. Now in its 12th year, it has two programs: a sport and recreation facilities support program and an international sport events support program. In 2016-2017, 32 event projects received a total financial assistance of $5.7 million for capital expenditures totalling $52.27 million. His vision to create the fund has resulted in Québec making the biggest investment of any province in hosting sport events and in sport and recreation facilities.
Lyn Hall, Mayor of Prince George, (Prince George, B.C.) As an elected official, Mayor Lyn Hall understands the potential economic impact of sport hosting. A coach himself, and a long-time supporter of local sports and sport hosting, he was instrumental in the success of the 2015 Canada Winter Games. Building on that experience, in 2017 the Mayor and his council approved a ten-year Sport Tourism Strategy that will help Prince George remain a potential host city for any sporting event. Mayor Hall was integral in the successful bid to host the 2022 BC Summer Games and the city has also secured the rights to host its first ever World Championship in any sport, the 2019 World Para Nordic Skiing Championships. The city also held a referendum to build a new swimming pool in the community and Masich Place Stadium is currently being upgraded to be able to host more and better sporting events.
CSTA Sport Tourism Organization of the Year Award presented by WestJet
Edmonton Events, (Edmonton, Alta.) A strategic partnership between the City of Edmonton and Edmonton Tourism, Edmonton Events is designed to attract major sport and cultural events to the city. Over the past six years, it has demonstrated a strong commitment to the sport tourism industry through a relentless pursuit of world-class sport and cultural events. In 2017, Edmonton Events successfully hosted and/or supported over 45 events, ranging from the Ford Men’s World Curling with over 85,000 spectators to the ITU World Triathlon Series. It engages with local business and community leaders, social influencers and large institutional administration to enlist volunteers for events, including student volunteers to assist with the four CSTA steαmpro2.0 studies that were conducted in 2017. All of this has helped propel Edmonton to be named as one of Sportcal's Top 20 Global Sports Cities, the only Canadian city in the top 20.
Events Regina, (Regina, Sask.) Events Regina is a collaborative venture led by Economic Development Regina/Tourism Regina and Regina Hotel Association with support from partners Evraz Place, City of Regina, Tourism Saskatchewan, Wascana Centre and the University of Regina. Together, they champion the city as a premier destination for sport, culture, entertainment and festivals and tactically pursue event opportunities. As a result, Regina will see a banner year for sports tourism spanning from September 2017 through to August 2018 with a number of marquee national and international events hosted in the city. Six major events are expected to draw tens of thousands of unique visitors to the region, contributing up to $40 million in economic benefit within Saskatchewan. They also present a major opportunity to showcase the community through national and international broadcasts and to promote the Regina Advantage: the inherent qualities that make Regina an amazing place to visit, work, live and invest.
Ottawa Tourism, (Ottawa, Ont.) As part of Ottawa Tourism, the Major Events Office works proactively with local, provincial, national and international sports organizations to attract new events to Ottawa that will have a significant impact on the local economy, and enhance Ottawa’s visibility on the world stage. In 2017, Canada celebrated 150 years as a nation and Ottawa 2017, a not-for-profit organization, was established and tasked with creating 12 full months of big, bold, immersive and moving experiences that complemented national celebrations and annual events and festivals. Ottawa Tourism partnered with Ottawa 2017 to attract Big Signature events that animated the entire city and had significant positive impacts for Ottawa’s tourism sector and the city as whole. It culminated in a record setting year for the number of sporting events hosted in Ottawa. In total, Ottawa Tourism bid for and/or supported 24 events that generated close to $200M in local economic impact.
CSTA Sustainable Sport Event of the Year presented by CBC Sports
La Coupe Rogers présentée par Banque Nationale, (Montreal, Que.) In support of the zero-waste component of Tennis Canada’s Green Plan, only 9% of the waste material generated by 216,097 spectators at La Coupe Rogers could not be composted or recycled. Activities included on-site double sorting in the three-choice bins, under the watchfulness of the team of volunteers trained to do so and to the sorting center located behind the venue where all the bags are opened and their content redirected when appropriate. As well, a free shuttle service, the free access to the STM network and a 285-place secured parking lot for bikes were provided. Indigenous plants and flowers requiring little water were used in the decor. Food surplus from catering was distributed to various charity organizations. The paper version of the souvenir magazine was abolished in favour of an electronic application and the daily program was printed on 100%-recycled paper.
Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon, (Halifax, N.S.) The Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon has reduced its carbon footprint over the years and improved its environmental footprint. Some of the initiatives in 2017 included: no bottled water, eliminating thousands of plastic water bottles; participants and volunteers were offered free transit and ferry use; leftover shirts and medals were sent to Gambia where they are used for prizing for peace runs and other initiatives; used running shoes were collected on race weekend, keeping shoes out of landfills, and donated to charities; top finishers were presented with a special one-of-a-kind bag produced from reclaimed material from past event banners; the lead car and sweeper car on race weekend are electric hybrid cars; signage is reused from previous years, or recycled as stacking boards at water stations; leftover food is donated to the Souls Harbour Rescue Mission to ensure they stay out of landfills. These and other elements have ensured a responsible sustainable event.
CSTA Sport Tourism Rising Stars
Heather Bury, Saskatoon Sports Tourism, (Saskatoon, Sask.) A graduate of the University of Saskatchewan's Kinesiology program, Heather’s passion for sport in Saskatoon is second to none. As Saskatoon Sports Tourism's Sport and Event Sales Executive for the last seven years, she has worked on such events as the Tim Hortons Brier, MasterCard Memorial Cup, WBSC World Men's Softball Championship, and FIBA 3x3 World Tour. Outside of the office, she donates the majority of her time the football community in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and Canada as the equipment manager for the Saskatoon Hilltops, Football Saskatchewan and Football Canada (national) teams. She is a member of the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance Board of Directors and Saskatoon's Friends of the Bowl Foundation.
Jo-Annie Charbonneau, Triathlon Montréal, (Montréal, Que.) Jo-Annie is an energetic, intelligent, adaptable young woman who has been evolving in amateur sport for many years. A lawyer by trade, with a double degree and a Sports Law Master, a strategic thinker by personality – she is a natural leader with great ability to operationalize any project. She has worked with numerous organizations, guiding them through their organizational cycles, strengthening their foundations and bettering their overall output. Since 2015, she has been the Deputy Director / Legal Counsel of the Montreal International Triathlon, with 20 staff and almost 600 volunteers, bringing a $12M economic impact to the City.
Matt Moore, Rath Eastlink Community Centre, (Truro, N.S.) Matt is the General Manager of Rath Eastlink Community Center in Truro, Nova Scotia. This new facility has recently attracted three major sporting events to the region and is well on its way to becoming a key player in the Atlantic Canadian sport tourism sector. Hockey Canada’s World Junior A Challenge, was the most significant event Truro has hosted in decades. Its success was due in no small part due to Matt’s ambitions, intelligence, and accomplishments and included the upgrading of the facilities dehumidification system, resulting in top-quality ice throughout the tournament and an enduring legacy for the community.
Brandon Pickard, Sport Durham (Whitby, Ont.) Brandon is an emerging talent who continues to build on an already impressive resume. A graduate of the Brock University Sport Management program, Brandon began his career in event management with Golf Canada and Hockey Night in Canada’s Play On! He led Tourism Kingston to new heights in sport hosting at the provincial, national, and international level. Brandon has represented Team Canada at the International Sport Accord Convention. Through his continued success in sport, Brandon is now the Manager of Tourism for the Regional Municipality of Durham where he leads the destination marketing organization.
Mike Warkentin, Northlands, (Edmonton, Alta.) A rising star in the Major Event and Entertainment Industry Mike’s experience and leadership has led to attracting several major sporting events to the Edmonton area. Mike leads a team of professionals who plan and deliver on annual major events such as K-Days and the Canadian Finals Rodeo as well as sport tourism events such as the 2017 Davis Cup - the first time the event had been in Edmonton for 21 years. Mike is the key logistical and booking lead for partnership groups such as Events Edmonton and plays a critical role in attracting business interest from National and International Sport Tourism Organizations.
