Among the world’s great capital cities, Ottawa excels in hosting sporting events that balance social and economic impacts while championing diversity, inclusion and youth engagement. As a four-season destination, Ottawa offers top-tier venues, from major league arenas and stadiums to university and college sports fields. 2025 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship The World Junior Hockey Championship will raise the bar for future hosts with several key “fi rsts,” and will set a new benchmark for Ottawa’s sport hosting strategies. For the fi rst time, the World Juniors has pillars around Indigenous engagement, newcomer engagement and sustainability “with a dedicated team in place to achieve our goals,” says Khanh Be, Senior Manager, Community & Social Impact, Hockey Canada. Indigenous Engagement: Hockey Canada is collaborating with Ottawa Tourism’s Indigenous Tourism Liaison to engage representatives from the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, Algonquins of Pikwakanagan and Mohawks of Akwesasne communities. Initiatives include Indigenous involvement in the opening ceremonies, game tickets for Indigenous youth and commissioned Indigenous artworks throughout the event, including murals, Player of the Game gifts and a special edition Hockey Canada jersey. First Game Experiences: To make hockey more accessible to newcomer families, Hockey Canada’s First Game Experiences program provides a VIP experience with game tickets, transportation, refreshments, souvenirs and a video board welcome for 30 to 40 local families during the World Juniors. Sustainability Initiatives: For the fi rst time, Hockey Canada will pursue sustainability certifi cation for one of its sporting events, aiming for gold-level recognition from the Council for Responsible Sport with support from Ottawa Tourism and destination partners. Initiatives include local sourcing, recycling and waste reduction, and a food recovery program with La Tablée des Chefs. Ottawa Tourism will also measure the event’s social impact. “This is the fi rst event where we're putting as much emphasis on the social impact as we are on [measuring] the dollars and cents. That benchmark will help us understand the opportunities for future sporting events,” says Lesley Pincombe, Vice President of Sales, Business & Major Events. The Fan Fest The family-friendly Fan Fest at the historic Aberdeen Pavilion, Lansdowne Park, offers guests a chance to watch game broadcasts, enjoy food and drinks, live music and try their hand at various games and activities. Good to know… Ottawa hosted the 2009 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship, generating $80.5 million in economic impact for Ontario. Spark an Fast Facts Dates: December 26, 2024 to January 5, 2025 Competition Venues: TD Place Arena; Canadian Tire Centre Participation: 10 countries competing in 29 tournament games Attendees: 350,000 (estimated) Oh!’’ ’’ SPONSORED FEATURE 32 ADRENALIN | FALL 2024
