Work Continues for Nova Scotia to Host 2011 Canada Games

Four groups are continuing to prepare to bid to host the 2011 Canada Winter Games in Nova Scotia.

The bid groups in the Highland region, central Nova Scotia, the Annapolis Valley and Halifax anticipated that the formal bid process for identifying a host community would begin this fall, with the host announced in the spring of 2006. Those timelines have changed and were communicated to the bid committees on Nov. 15.

The reason for the delay is that federal/provincial/territorial ministers responsible for physical activity, sport and recreation must review and approve a new financial framework that outlines operating and capital costs contributed by governments. The new framework is expected to be approved at their annual meeting in June 2006.

"These four groups have done an incredible amount of work and have shown great dedication and I appreciate their commitment and patience as we move forward," said Health Promotion Minister Rodney MacDonald. "They've demonstrated their understanding of what is required to host the Games, I'm proud of each committee, and wish them luck."

In anticipation of the formal bid process, now scheduled to begin in August 2006, Nova Scotia Health Promotion, in consultation with the Canada Games Council, will lead a formal review of the bid committees and will hire a consultant to develop assessment criteria to evaluate each bid committee's abilities in three key areas:

• ability to provide resources in areas such as official languages, medical and emergency services, volunteers, and others;
• ability to provide the facility requirements for the standard winter sports; and
• ability to create Canada Games legacies to support a physically active culture.

Throughout November and December, bid committees will be provided with information on the requirements in the three key areas. The assessment criteria will be provided to them in January 2006 and their responses will be due in early March 2006. Site visits will take place in April 2006 and the final assessments and ratings will be released in May or June 2006. Nova Scotia can put forward a maximum of three bid communities for assessment by the Canada Games Council.

The host community for the 2011 Canada Winter Games will be announced in early 2007.