Ontario Summer Games coming to Waterloo region in 2026

CBC News

· Posted: Apr 11, 2025 12:13 PM EDT | Last Updated: 8 minutes ago

Young athletes from crossed the state volition descend connected Waterloo portion successful the summertime of 2026 to vie successful the Ontario Summer Games.

The announcement was made Thursday greeting successful Waterloo by Ontario's Minister of Sport Neil Lumsden.

"Our authorities is arrogant to enactment Waterloo region's bid to big the 2026 Ontario Summer Games, and supply Ontario's athletes with the accidental to vie with their peers from crossed the province," said Minister Lumsden.

 "These games volition pull thousands of visitors, driving home tourism to the region, boosting the system and showcasing the fantastic attractions recovered passim the area."

The authorities has announced $1.6 cardinal successful backing for the games. 

That wealth volition beryllium utilized for upgrading and improving the infrastructure of immoderate venues successful the portion which section organizers program to people arsenic a bequest of the games.

According to authorities estimates this sporting lawsuit volition make an estimated $6 cardinal successful home tourism gross for the Region of Waterloo.

Event planning starts now

Allister Scorgie is the manager of athletics hosting astatine Explore Waterloo Region, and present seat of the organizing committee of the games. 

He says the mentation for the lawsuit starts now.

"The astir urgent happening that we request to bash is bring people and experts successful the assorted fields connected board. So bringing successful radical to bash aesculapian and information and proscription management, volunteers, that's the astir urgent thing," said Scorgie.

"And past this summertime we'll commencement to conscionable with each the sports."

Scorgie says the province's ministry of athletics volition enactment with each the provincial sports bodies to determine which teams volition instrumentality part.

But earlier the sports are decided, Scorgie hopes radical successful the assemblage volition motion up to beryllium a unpaid for the event.

"We're going to request a ton of volunteers," said Scorgie.

"So anyone that's funny successful being progressive successful the games, if that's with a definite sport, if it's with jock housing, if you're an diversion therapist and you privation to assistance retired with medical, wherever we're going to request truthful galore hands and truthful galore bodies to assistance negociate specified a large event."

People funny successful volunteering tin motion up astatine the Explore Waterloo Region website connected the athletics hosting page.

The 2026 Ontario Summer Games volition beryllium held successful Waterloo portion from July 30 to Aug. 2. 

Up to 4,000 younker betwixt the ages of 12 and 18 on with their coaches, managers, families and different sporting officials volition question to the area.

The games are held each 2 years and the Waterloo portion mentation volition person 24 sports, including baseball, lacrosse, shot and rugby.

LISTEN | Ontario Summer Games coming to Waterloo portion successful 2026: