2025 Canada Games

In North America's most easterly city, a celebration of sport, culture and community is taking shape.

From August 8–25, 2025, the Canada Games return to St. John’s, NL, for the first time since 1977. With more than 5,000 athletes, coaches and managers participating at this year’s edition, the 2025 Canada Games will be the largest in its history, featuring 19 sports and 12 discipline areas.

For over half a century, the Canada Games have been the premier multi-sport event for the country’s top amateur athletes, bringing together athletes from every province and territory. Held every two years and alternating between the summer and winter seasons, the Games highlight athletic excellence while celebrating community pride and national unity.

But the Canada Games are much more than a sporting event. They’re a launchpad for future Olympians, a stage for diversity and inclusion and a powerful engine for social and economic growth for the communities that host this prestigious event.

New sports, new milestones

At this year’s 2025 Canada Games, several exciting additions will mark historic firsts and reflect the continued evolution of Canadian sport.

Female baseball will be featured for the first time, representing a significant step forward for gender equity in this competition area. Artistic swimming, a long-standing part of the Winter Games since 1967, will make its Summer Games debut in St. John’s. This year’s event also marks the inception of canoe kayak racing in Newfoundland and Labrador. In another milestone for inclusivity, Para Sailing will make its debut, further expanding the Games’ commitment to accessible sport.

True to the spirit of the Games, para-athletes, Special Olympians and able-bodied athletes will compete together in an integrated environment. Events in athletics, cycling and swimming will include both Paralympic and Special Olympic categories. Lacrosse also returns as a competition area following its 2022 reintroduction.

These additions at this year’s Games not only celebrate diversity in sport but also demonstrate a national commitment to equity, accessibility and progress on and off the playing field.

Economic boost and long-term impact

The 2025 Canada Games are expected to generate an economic impact of more than $120 million, creating opportunities in a multitude of sectors which include construction, tourism, media, retail, transportation and food services. More than 1,000 government officials, industry partners and stakeholders will be in attendance, giving St. John’s and surrounding communities unprecedented national visibility.

This momentum supports ACOA’s broader goals of positioning Atlantic Canada as a hub for investment, innovation and tourism. In November 2024, ACOA announced a non-repayable investment of $1,299,750 to the 2025 Canada Games Host Society to assist with marketing, hosting and accessibility costs. Let the games begin! Federal investments making the 2025 Canada Games in St. John’s happen - Canada.ca

"This generous support from the Government of Canada will make a meaningful difference in delivering a memorable 2025 Canada Games experience that resonates across Newfoundland and Labrador and all of Canada,” said 2025 Canada Games Society Co-Chairs, Kim Keating and Karl Smith. “We are thrilled to see these investments in sport, accessibility and inclusion, which will leave a lasting legacy for our communities and inspire young athletes for generations to come."  

The Canada Games bring together Canada’s top young athletes, celebrating their remarkable talents while fostering a spirit of unity across all provinces and territories. Beyond competition, the Games create lasting connections grounded in friendship and a shared passion for amateur sport, serving as a platform that highlights not only athletic excellence but also community and national pride.

For more information on programs and services available to businesses and community organizations in Atlantic Canada, call 1-800-561-7862 or visit canada.ca/acoa.

To learn more about the 2025 Canada Games, please visit: 2025 Jeux du Canada Games or St. John’s 2025 Canada Summer Games - Canada.ca.