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Curling events in Sudbury get financial injection from the province

Culture Minister Lisa MacLeod announces $1.5M in funds for amateur sporting events during stop in Sudbury

As Greater Sudbury gets set to host two substantial curling championships next year, the organizing committee is praising the province’s Sport Hosting program, which is providing $38,000 to help cover the costs.

Kelly Irvine is the event co-ordinator for Curl Sudbury and co-chair of the 2023 Nickel City Curling Championship steering committee. She said the championships were supposed to be held this year, but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the committee seized the opportunity to continue working on their plans.

“We were very disappointed, but knew that we would continue working and fine-tuning our plans with an eye to welcoming these events to Sudbury in 2023,” Irvine said.

Coniston Curling Club, Copper Cliff Curling and Curl Sudbury are joining forces and will welcome the best curlers in Canada, as well as the next generation of curling stars to Sudbury, she said. It is expected this event will have an economic spinoff of about $230,000.

Greater Sudbury is also poised to host the 2023 Canadian Curling Mixed Doubles Championship, which will bring 64 athletes to the city with an expected economic impact of $230,000.

“Mixed doubles is a sport that is taking off in curling, and we are so proud to be able to showcase it,” said Irvine. “Our curling members locally are excited to get involved to volunteer to help make this event so successful. The funding will allow us to bring a premier curling event to the City of Greater Sudbury with a substantial population of people who enjoy hurling as their primary winter sport.”

The province announced Tuesday at the Gerry McCrory Sportsplex it is investing almost $1.5 million through the program to support 15 national and five international amateur sport events in Ontario. These events will help boost local economies, increase tourism and help athletes train and develop their skills right here at home.

Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, said the pandemic has “really, really rocked the core” of those sectors. She was in Greater Sudbury on Tuesday to announce $1.5 million is being made available through the Sport Hosting program. 

“For two years, the things that we took for granted prior to COVID-19 were the very things that we were denied,” said MacLeod. “The sectors I represent were first hit, the hardest hit, and, as evidenced by easing restrictions right now, are still recovering. Mark my words, there will be no full economic or social recovery until these sectors are back in business.”

The heritage, sport, tourism and culture industries contribute $75 billion in GDP, and that’s larger than mining, forestry and agriculture put together in the province of Ontario, MacLeod said.

“That’s how significant the work everyone does, and the sector’s contribution to the province,” she said.

“And make no mistake, these events will help boost local economies. It will increase tourism and hospitality, and it will help athletes from Ontario develop their skills right here at home.”

The 20 events receiving support are expected to generate more than $10 million in economic activity for Ontario, and will showcase more than 4,000 amateur athletes from across Canada and around the world.

The province is now accepting applications for the 2022-23 Sport Hosting Program – Intake II, for events with start dates between November 2022 and July 2024. The deadline for applications is July 11, 2022.


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Arron Pickard

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