The federal and Alberta governments have announced a combined $52 million investment to modernize Calgary’s historic Olympic Oval, one of Canada’s most recognized high-performance winter sports facilities.
The funding will be split equally, with each government contributing $26 million toward the renewal of the speedskating venue, which was originally built for the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary.
In addition to the Oval project, the federal government announced $7.67 million in new funding for ski racing and snowboard facilities across Quebec, Yukon, Alberta and British Columbia, along with a $3 million increase for the Athlete Assistance Program (AAP), which provides monthly financial support to Canada’s high-performance athletes.
Speaking in Calgary, Secretary of State for Sport Adam van Koeverden described the investments as part of the largest commitment to Canadian sport in the country’s history.
“This is not just a good day for Canadian sport or speedskating in Canada. This is a good era of Canadian sport because we’re making the largest investments our country has ever seen in sport, from the playground to the podium,” he said.
Van Koeverden highlighted the Calgary Olympic Oval as one of Canada’s most significant sporting facilities, noting that beyond producing Olympic champions, it has also served generations of community athletes and young skaters.
Located on the University of Calgary campus, the Olympic Oval opened in 1987 at a construction cost of $40 million before hosting Olympic speedskating events the following year. For nearly four decades, it has served as the home of Canada’s national speedskating team while also supporting university athletics, community programs and elite athlete training.
Several members of Canada’s Olympic women’s hockey teams, including Hayley Wickenheiser, have also played at the facility during their careers and played a key role in Canadian hockey development.
But the venue’s refrigeration system has reached the end of its useful life. Aging underground brine piping has leaked, jeopardizing the Oval’s ability to continue producing world-class ice.
Upgrades planned include replacing the ice plant, improving refrigeration systems, installing a new running track and improving accessibility for visitors using mobility aids.
Securing government funding had previously been challenging because the facility is located on a university campus, classifying it as part of an educational institution. The project ultimately received support through the federal government’s Build Communities Strong Fund, which allocates $51 billion for infrastructure projects across Canada.
Alberta Sport Minister Andrew Boitchenko said the province’s matching contribution will help preserve one of Canada’s premier sporting venues while ensuring elite athletes continue to have access to world-class training facilities.
Van Koeverden added that upgrading the Olympic Oval has consistently ranked among the highest priorities during discussions with Alberta officials over the past year.
Often referred to as “the fastest ice in the world,” the Calgary Olympic Oval has benefited from the city’s high altitude and dry climate, conditions that have helped athletes set more than 300 speedskating world records. In recent years, however, Utah’s younger Salt Lake City Oval has become the preferred venue for many record-breaking performances.
The Calgary facility remains the oldest of Canada’s three indoor speedskating ovals. Quebec City’s Centre de glaces Intact Assurance, opened in 2021, and British Columbia’s Pomeroy Sport Centre, which opened in 2010, have expanded the country’s high-performance training network.
Beyond Calgary, federal investments will include just over $4 million for snowboard facilities in Quebec, Yukon and Alberta, along with $3.65 million for alpine ski racing facilities in Alberta and British Columbia.
Canada Snowboard CEO Dustin Heise said the funding represents a long-term investment in athlete development and community sport, strengthening the organization’s National Training Centre Network while creating more opportunities for future generations of Canadian snowboarders.
The government also announced that annual funding for the Athlete Assistance Program will increase to $43 million. The program currently provides eligible Olympic and Paralympic athletes with monthly support payments of approximately $2,175, benefiting more than 1,900 athletes across over 90 sports each year.
