21 hours ago
Calgary host society says 'unreasonable demands' led to loss of 2027 North American Indigenous Games
After the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) Council withdrew Calgary's hosting rights for the 2027 games, the host society says "ongoing challenges" undermined its ability to live up to its bid.
Last week the NAIG Council, which awarded the Calgary host committee the 2027 games back in 2023, announced it was withdrawing the city's hosting rights "to uphold the integrity of the Games and ensure the long-term strength of the NAIG movement."
"Over the past two years, NAIG Council has worked closely with the Host Society to support their efforts — providing guidance, capacity-building support, resources, and external expertise to assist with planning and budgeting processes required to deliver a successful Games," the statement read.
"Despite the collective efforts of many, it became increasingly clear that critical benchmarks could not be met."
The statement did not say what milestones or conditions were missed by the Calgary host society.
The NAIG Council did not respond to a request for comment about the milestones or conditions missed by time of publishing.
In a statement Friday, the Host Society said an official NAIG host agreement "never came to be as the Host Society faced shifting requirements and unreasonable demands."
"At the same time, Tourism Calgary withheld committed operational funding from the City of Calgary, leaving the Host Society without the resources needed to plan and deliver the Games as envisioned," read the host society's statement.
"As Indigenous people, we recognize these challenges within the broader context of systemic barriers that continue to limit our self-determination. The actions that led to this decision run contrary to those commitments and are a step backward for reconciliation in sport and culture."
In an email to CBC Indigenous, Tourism Calgary said the host society statement was "inaccurate."
"As stewards of public funds, Tourism Calgary invests in events and organizations that demonstrate strong leadership, operational capability, good governance, transparency, and the capacity to deliver financially viable outcomes."
The statement went on to say "Given the challenges that emerged throughout the planning process, we support the NAIG Council and its difficult decision to withdraw the 2027 Games from Calgary."
"While this is not the outcome we hoped for, we continue to believe in the vision of the North American Indigenous Games and thank the NAIG Council for acting in the long-term interest of the event and its participants."
What happens now?
The NAIG Council's statement last week acknowledged that the announcement may be "deeply disappointing" to athletes, coaches, families and communities.
"We want to assure everyone that NAIG Council remains steadfast in its commitment to Indigenous youth and to the ongoing advancement of the NAIG movement," the statement said.
"Our focus now turns to identifying a new path forward — one that protects the spirit and legacy of the Games and minimizes disruption for the youth and communities we serve."
It said further updates on plans for the games would be coming.
In its statement Friday, the Calgary Host Society committed to creating a new event.
"The Host Society will not abandon our youth or the vision we began with," the statement said.
"We will immediately begin the process of rebranding and create a new Indigenous sporting event that will remain fully Indigenous-led, with sport and culture equally showcased."
