The Province is creating more opportunities for young athletes to develop skills and participate in high-performance competitions while supporting the social and economic benefits of sport hosting for local communities.

Government is providing $2 million in one-time funding to the BC Games Society to support BC Summer and Winter Games multi-sport events. The games, held every two years, bring together British Columbia’s best emerging young athletes, trained coaches and certified officials for four days of competition. This experience is an important development opportunity and for some competitors it is a stepping stone toward higher-level sport competitions.

“We recognize hosting the BC Games is a significant undertaking that has been made more challenging with rising costs and the downturn in the economy,” said Lana Popham, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. “This funding will ensure the BC Games remain affordable for all participants, bolstering the society’s ability to provide exceptional experiences through sport.”

The BC Games Society has been greatly affected by rising costs in transportation, accommodation and food. The one-time funding is intended to help alleviate these financial hardships and support ongoing operations. The funding will also support Team BC athletes to compete at the Canada Games.

“This funding is a recognition of the importance of sport participation for youth and the vital role the BC Games Society has in providing those opportunities,” said Alison Noble, president and CEO of the BC Games Society. “Sport participation is an important contributor to long-term health and wellness and resilience. It builds a strong foundation for success by imparting discipline, leadership skills and the value of teamwork, all of which are essential in helping youth lead healthy, productive lives.”

The BC Games generate an estimated economic boost of $1.6 million to $2 million each time the games are held by attracting thousands of visitors and supporting local businesses. Additionally, the games provide benefits to the wider community by improving local sports infrastructure.

Quick Facts:

• The BC Games Society is a Crown corporation that guides the BC Summer and BC Winter Games and prepares Team BC for the Canada Games.
• B.C.’s sport sector contributed almost $1.05 billion to the provincial revenue in 2021, with 15,259 jobs related to sport for British Columbians.
• The Province provides more than $2 million annually to support the BC Summer and Winter Games.
• B.C.’s sport sector includes more than 800,000 participants – athletes, coaches and officials – in addition to countless administrative staff and volunteers through provincial, disability and multi-sport organizations alone.

Learn More:

To learn more about the BC Games Society, visit: https://www.bcgames.org