Today, the Canada Games Council (CGC) and the Government of Quebec officially launched the competitive bid process for the 2031 Canada Winter Games. 

Communities within the province of Quebec have one month from the date of an upcoming workshop to confirm their intention to bid for the Games. The bidding cities will then embark on a 13-month process to build their bids as they vie to host Canada’s largest amateur multi-sport event for the nation’s top young athletes in 2031.

The Canada Games spark greatness in the next generation of athletes and leaders and create enduring legacies that transform communities from coast to coast to coast. The Games are a key milestone in the development of Canada’s future national and international sport champions.

The CGC’s 2031 Bid Evaluation Committee (BEC) and Technical Review Committee (TRC) will assess the bids in two phases. Both phases include a formal submission by the Bid Committees representing each municipality, as well as a site visit.

The technical review phase will be conducted in February and March of 2026 to assess the ability of each community to host the Canada Winter Games according to established hosting standards for sport venues, non-sport venues and the Games Village. 

In April, the CGC will notify local Bid Committees if their community has been approved to move onto phase two.

Phase two is a comprehensive review slated for September and October of 2026, in which the Bid Committees submit their comprehensive bid proposals to the BEC, including the completion of a vision, marketing and communications strategy, community commitment, and a Games budget.

The final decision to award the 2031 Canada Winter Games will be made by the CGC Board of Directors with a public announcement slated for November of 2026, with a corresponding announcement.

Each Canada Winter Games features two weeks of competition, about 20 sports, approximately 3,600 participants (athletes, coaches and managers), and over 5,000 volunteers. Recent iterations of the Canada Games have generated more than $200 million in overall economic activity for the host province.

Quebec has previously hosted the Canada Games three times: the inaugural Canada Winter Games in Quebec City in 1967, the 1983 Canada Winter Games in Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean, and the 2013 Canada Summer Games in Sherbrooke. The 60th anniversary of the inaugural event will also return to Quebec City in 2027, after Yukon had to withdraw from hosting the Games.

Quotes

“We are proud to announce the official launch of the bid process for the 2031 Canada Winter Games. Welcoming this major event once again to Quebec is an incredible opportunity to shine the spotlight on the next generation of Quebecois athletes, and to generate important economic benefits for our communities. I am calling on municipalities from across Quebec to seize this opportunity to showcase your community, and to contribute to the pride we take in, and the strength of, sport in Quebec.”
Isabelle Charest, Quebec’s Minister responsible for Sport, Recreation, and the Outdoors, and Minister responsible for the Estrie Region

“We are thrilled to officially launch the competitive bid process and embark on the journey to the 2031 Canada Winter Games. We look forward to working alongside the Government of Quebec and the bidding municipalities throughout the bid phase and evaluation process and determine which Host Community will ignite the spark to inspire greatness in Canada’s next generation of athletes and leaders in 2031.” 
Board Vice Chair and 2031 Bid Evaluation Committee Chair, Sean O’Donnell, Canada Games Council

“Hosting the Canada Games is a commitment that extends far beyond the competition.” stated Canada Games alumni Cindy Ouellet. “A bid driven by Quebec pride will establish a lasting, accessible legacy, strengthen the high-performance pipeline and help foster a truly inclusive future for sport across the province." 
Paralympian and Canada Games alum, Cindy Ouellet (wheelchair basketball)

“My experience at the Canada Games was a defining moment in my career. By hosting the Games in 2027 and 2031, Quebec will offer this same unique and memorable experience for a generation of athletes and the community that will welcome them! The Canada Games have every potential to inspire, and those held in Quebec will be unforgettable.”
Olympian and Canada Games alum, François-Olivier Roberge (speed skating)