Government of Canada announces support to host the 2026 UCI Road World Championships in Montréal

From: Canadian Heritage

News release

MONTRÉAL, September 9, 2023

As the largest supporter of the country’s sport system, the Government of Canada is proud to invest in the development of Canadian athletes, the national and multi-sport organizations that support them, as well as initiatives to host international sport events in Canada.

Today, the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and Physical Activity, and the Honourable Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec, announced a $13-million investment to host the 2026 UCI Road World Championships.

Sport Canada will provide $9.8 million to Cycling Canada through the Hosting Program. Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions will contribute $3.2 million to the Mondiaux Montréal 2026 organizing committee through the Quebec Economic Development Program. This funding will help Cycling Canada and Mondiaux Montréal 2026 start planning early for such an important international sporting event, including the development of the venue plan and multiple road race and time trial courses as well as in the implementation of promotion and communication plans, and the acquisition of essential information technologies.

With 1,000 athletes representing more than 75 countries, these championships are among the world’s greatest sport events and are the most prestigious competition on the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) calendar. The 2026 championships will take place over eight days, from September 20 to 27, 2026 in Montréal.

With financial and technical support from the City of Montréal, the Government of Quebec and Tourisme Montréal, the event will have a major sporting, cultural and economic impact as it will showcase Canada. The project will generate significant economic benefits for the Montréal region and Canada.

Quotes

“The 2026 UCI Road World Championships, hosted in Montréal, will be an exciting opportunity for our cyclists to compete against the world’s best, right here in Canada. Competing in front of a home crowd will be a motivational and rewarding experience. These championships will also serve to inspire our youth to pursue competitive cycling as Canada’s next generation of athletes. Go Canada Go!”

—The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and Physical Activity

“It’s an honour for Montréal to welcome the 2026 UCI Road World Championships. This is an exceptional opportunity for our athletes to shine and a tremendous chance for the city to host an international event that will a have major economic and tourism impact. International events like this are an incredible tourist attraction, especially for sports fans here in Canada and around the world!”

—The Honourable Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec

“We are honoured that the International Cycling Union has chosen Montréal, Quebec to host the 2026 UCI Road World Championships. The UCI Road World Championships will be an exceptional showcase for the City of Montréal and all the partners associated with the event. They will allow us to put the spotlight on the best Quebec and Canadian cyclists, while supporting the next generation with the creation of a leg dedicated to the development of road cycling. We look forward to welcoming the whole world to Montréal for an unforgettable event that will bring together all communities.”

—Pierre Laflamme, President, Cycling Canada

“With the Grands Prix Cyclistes de Québec and Montréal team, we’ve been dreaming of hosting this world-class cycling event for years. Combined with these two internationally renowned cycling events, the 2026 UCI Road World Championships will position Canada as both a top-level cycling power and a top tourist destination in September 2026. All the ingredients are in place for the 2026 UCI Road World Championships to be the biggest event Montréal has staged since the 1976 Olympic Games.”

—Sébastien Arsenault, President and Chief Executive Officer, Mondiaux Montréal 2026

Quick facts

  • Cycling Canada is the official governing body for cycling in Canada and is one of the oldest national sport organizations in Canada. It strives, above all, to inspire Canadians to cycle.

  • On September 22, 2022, the UCI Congress chose Montréal to organize the 2026 UCI Road World Championships.

  • This will be Montréal’s first time hosting the championships in 52 years. The last major international competition held in Quebec took place in 1974 on the Mount Royal Circuit.

  • The event will be run by the Mondiaux Montréal 2026 organizing committee, in collaboration with the UCI, Cycling Canada and the Fédération québecoise des sports cyclistes. The 2026 UCI Road World Championships organizing committee has also been organizing the Grands Prix Cyclistes de Québec and Montréal since 2010. These are the first and only UCI World Tour events in North America.

  • Through Sport Canada’s Hosting Program, the Government of Canada supports initiatives to host more than 80 international sport events in Canada each year, such as world cups and world championship competitions, that allow our athletes to proudly compete on home soil against the world’s best.

Associated links

Contacts

For more information (media only), please contact:

Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819-994-9101
1-866-569-6155
media@pch.gc.ca

Marie-Pier Baril
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
Cell: 343-576-4131
marie-pier.baril@ised-isde.gc.ca

Media Relations
Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
media@dec-ced.gc.ca
514-283-7443

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