The four communities or groups that have confirmed their intent to bid are:

• the Niagara Region,
• the City of Ottawa,
• the City of Greater Sudbury,
• the combined cities of Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge and Guelph.

After the official launch of the 2021 Bid Process in February of 2016, interested communities had until May 20th, 2016 to deliver their intent to bid.

“The Canada Games Council is excited that these worthy communities will enter the race to be chosen as the host of the 2021 Canada Summer Games,” says Tom Quinn, Chairman of the Canada Games Council. “After the official launch and receiving the bid procedure guide, these communities understand the work that is required to produce a final bid. We look forward to a very competitive process.”

The Canada Games have produced a substantial economic impact for communities who have recently hosted the Games. For example, the 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George generated an economic activity of $123 million while the 2013 Canada Summer Games in Sherbrooke generated an economic activity of $165 million.

The bid process will now enter a Technical Review Phase where information must be provided by the communities by June 30th, 2016.  After the technical phase, short-listed bid communities will then be given until January 31st, 2017 to submit their comprehensive bid proposal to the Canada Games Bid Evaluation Committee who will review and score based on the bid material and a site visit in each community.

For the 2021 bid process, the Canada Games Bid Evaluation Committee will be chaired by Vice-president of Revenue Generation for the 2009 Canada Summer Games in PEI and current Canada Games Council Board Member; Wayne Carew. The Canada Games Council’s Bid Evaluation Committee will be responsible for a detailed review of bidding communities and making a recommendation on the award of the Games to the CGC’s Board of Directors on which bid can best meet the Canada Games hosting standards.

“We know from successful experiences such as the 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games and past Canada Games that staging a major multi-sport competition brings important community building and economic benefits to the host municipality,” says Michael Coteau, Ontario Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport. “Hosting the 2021 Canada Summer Games will be a win for the local community and a win for sport in Ontario.”

Following the detailed process, the CGC Board of Directors will notify the Province of Ontario about the final selection of the successful 2021 community. The public announcement will then be made in March or April of 2017 through a media event.

Having hosted the 1981 Canada Summer Games in Thunder Bay and the 2001 Canada Summer Games in London, the 2021 Canada Games will mark the third time the Canada Summer Games are hosted in the province of Ontario.

The Canada Games generate many benefits for host regions in the legacies they provide. Whether they be infrastructure improvements for the city, exposure for the region through national broadcasts and webcasts or simply through increased tourist visitations, entire communities are changed for the better after having hosted the unique premium event that is the Canada Games.