Sport Manitoba President & CEO Jeff Hnatiuk

The 2017 Canada Games Host Society announced Monday the dates for the Games in 2017, as well as named its Board of Directors, CEO, and key legacy facility.

Winnipeg will host the Canada Summer Games from July 28 to August 13, 2017. The 2017 Games will celebrate their 50th birthday the same year Canada celebrates its 150th anniversary of Confederation. The first Canada Games took place in Quebec City in 1967.

Following the Canada Games Council (CGC) terms of reference, the 2017 Canada Summer Games founding members approved the appointments of the following to the 2017 Canada Summer

Games Host Society Board of Directors:
Mariette Mulaire - Co-Chair, CEO, World Trade Centre Winnipeg
Hubert Mesman - Co-Chair, Former President, Travel Manitoba
Helga Van Iderstine - Lawyer, Aikins, MacAulay & Thorvaldson LLP
Kevin Regan - Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer, Investors Group
Jim Ludlow - President, True North Development
Wayne L. Carew - Senior Advisor, MRSB Mergers & Acquisitions
Sue Boreskie - CEO, Refit Centre
Paul Vogt - Province of Manitoba, Former Clerk of Executive Council
Ida Albo - Co-owner, Yoga Public & The Hotel Fort Garry
Monique LaCoste - Director of Communications, St. Boniface Hospital
Bruce Miller - Senior Development Officer, Indspire

“Mariette and I are incredibly pleased with our leadership team,” said Hubert Mesman, 2017 Host Society Co-Chair.  “The diverse background and experiences of our Board members ensures a successful and inspired Canada Games that will be remembered for a lifetime.”The 2017 Canada Summer Games Board of Directors is responsible to organize, manage, promote, and stage the 2017 Canada Summer Games.  

Through a secondment arrangement with Sport Manitoba, their highly respected President and CEO, Jeff Hnatiuk, will serve as CEO of the Host Society.

"We are thrilled to have such a proven leader join our team,” said Mesman.  “Jeff’s skills, passion, and network will contribute to Winnipeg hosting a very successful Canada Games."

The Canada Games Council was pleased to offer their endorsement.

“The Canada Games Council is very excited that the board of directors for the 2017 Canada Games Host Society has been appointed,” says Tom Quinn, Canada Games Council Chairman. “With Jeff Hnatiuk leading the way as CEO, we have the utmost confidence that the highly qualified individuals that make up the leadership team will work to ensure that the 26th edition of the Canada Games goes down in history as one of Canada’s true milestone sporting events.”

The most significant capital legacy project for the 2017 Canada Games will be the construction of the new 124,000 square foot training centre at Sport Manitoba’s home on Pacific Avenue. The training centre will feature multi-purpose areas including three fully convertible court spaces, strength and conditioning areas, aerobic training space, plyometric training and testing and an indoor training track.

Sport Manitoba is pleased to announce that when the new training facility is complete the entire complex, existing home and new training centre, will be rebranded as the Canada Games Sport for Life Centre.  An additional naming rights announcement for the training centre will occur early in 2015.

“The Canada Games represent the potential for a tremendous legacy for amateur sport in our province,” said Mariette Mulaire, Co-Chair, 2017 Host Society.  “All levels of sport will grow and develop using this outstanding, year-round training facility that is ideally positioned to offer community programming to inner city and public groups for years to come.”

The next steps for the Host Society will be to participate in the Canada Games Council’s Observer Program during the 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George, BC.

“The Canada Games’ Observer program offers a tremendous opportunity to future Host Societies to see first-hand the inner workings of hosting a Canada Games,” says Quinn. “With the Canada Games being the largest multi-sport event for developing athletes in Canada, having this program in place goes a long way in ensuring that the 2017 Host Society’s leadership team has all the valuable information they need in terms of what it takes to host a sporting and cultural event of this stature.”