The CGC’s Sport Committee adhered to a transparent and objective sport selection process in which it analyzed all sports and disciplines that wished to be included in the 2023 Canada Winter Games. The total number of sports/disciplines selected for the Games are based on a participant quota that each Games must follow.

“The Canada Games play a vital role in the growth of Canadian sport and have evolved to the point where more sports vie for inclusion than any specific Games could possibly include,” says Tom Quinn, Chairman of the Canada Games Council. “The Canada Games looks forward to continuing to build great partnerships among the governing bodies of the sports on the program as we plan towards the 2023 Canada Games.”

The CGC ran a sport selection process that included a core sport review following the 2015 Canada Winter Games, and an assessment sport selection process, in order to determine the final sport program for the 2023 Canada Winter Games.

The core sport review is designed to ensure that the Core sports remain aligned with the mission, vision and values of the Canada Games and the Canadian sport system. Core sports generally meet all of the goals of the Canada Games sport program and provide the Canada Games and the Provincial/Territorial Governments with a stable sport program. The core sport program accounts for up to 70% of the overall Games quota.

The assessment sport selection process is designed to identify sports that generally meet most of the goals of the Canada Games sport program, but that lack alignment in a minority of areas that don’t allow it to achieve core status. The assessment process provides sports not previously on the Canada Games sport program the opportunity to be selected for the program through an objective evaluation. The assessment sport selection process is used to select the remaining 30% of the Games quota.

New events featured as part of these sports include Women’s Boxing and Mixed Doubles Curling.

The Sport Committee also named four sports for 2023 bid committee selection: Karate, Table Tennis, Fencing and Target Shooting were selected as host choice sports for the 2023 Canada Games. The bid committee that wins the right to host the 2023 Canada Games will indicate to the Council its choice from the short-list of four. (See Host Choice above for short-list).