Council has voted to unanimously carry the motion to provide funding for the 2026 Alberta Summer Games if the RMWB is the successful host community.

$2.6 million will be distributed from the Emerging Issues Reserve to provide for the games.

The Government of Alberta provides $420,000 in funding to support the operation.

$2.3 million was provided by the RMWB for the 2018 Alberta Winter Games with the financial impact being $7.4 million.

The RMWB submitted the bid package to Alberta Sport and Tourism’s Multisport Games Unit.

71 letters of support were included in the package from businesses, community organizations, and local MLA’s Brian Jean and Tany Yao, as well as Member of Parliament, Laila Goodridge.

The Multisport Games Unit visited the region on Sept. 12, 2023 to reviews venues and accommodations.

The successful host community will be announced in November 2023 and if successful, the RMWB will begin the process to create the 2026 Alberta Summer Games Host Society.

The games will occur July 16-19, 2026, and will involve more than 2,000 athletes, coaches, chaperones, and officials per day.