National, international sports events held in Alberta receive $895,000 in provincial funding

The Canadian BMX Championships will be run on a new and improved course in St. Albert this weekend. CTV News Edmonton's Marek Tkach reports.

Sporting spectacles that generate revenue for community businesses and let Alberta athletes compete on home soil in August through the end of 2025 received an $895,000 boost Thursday from the Alberta government.

Minister of Tourism and Sport Andrew Boitchenko announced the provincial support for nine national and international events being held from now until year’s end, including three championships being staged in the Edmonton area this weekend.

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It’s part of the $2.5 million in funding the government is giving to such events this year through its Major Sport Event Grant Program, Boitchenko said Thursday at the St. Albert BMX Centre, site of this weekend’s Canadian BMX Championships.

“These events not only showcase amazing athletic talent, they also create exciting opportunities for our communities across the province,” said the minister, who is the Drayton Valley-Devon member of the legislative assembly. “They are bringing thousands of talents, coaches and fans into our towns and cities across Alberta.”

Boitchenko said the BMX championships, for which the province earmarked $55,000 in support through the grant program, are expected to bring more than 800 athletes and 2,000 spectators to St. Albert to “create an economic impact of over $400,000.”

The St. Albert BMX club upgraded its supercross track to Olympic specifications two years ago to the tune of nearly $1 million through fundraising and a $550,000 provincial grant. It has both five-metre and eight-metre start hills, the latter of which is used for world championship, World Cup and Olympic races.

Olympian Molly Simpson of Red Deer said at Thursday’s media event that having St. Albert’s track hosting the national BMX championships is important because it inspires local youth and gives them training opportunities.

“All these wrong young riders behind me here and in front, they are looking to chase that title,” said the 22-year-old Simpson, who placed fifth in BMX at last year’s Olympic Games in Paris and won silver the year before at the 2023 Pan American Games. “They can, you know, be ranked one through eight in their age division, and it’s exciting to be national champion.”

Other national and international sporting events in Alberta this year receiving grant funding:

• 2025 Men’s U21 Volleyball Pan American Cup: Aug. 5-10, Calgary;
• 2025 Legion National Youth Track and Field Championships: Aug. 8-10, Calgary;
• 2025 National Half Marathon Championships: Aug. 17, Edmonton;
• 2025 Pan American Canoe Championships: Aug. 22-24, Edmonton;
• 2025 Canadian Cross Triathlon Championships: Aug. 23-24, Edmonton;
• ISU World Cup Speed Skating: Nov. 21-23, Calgary;
• 2026 Viking Cup (hockey), Dec. 28, 2025-Jan. 4, 2026, Camrose;
• 2026 FIS Snowboard and Freeski Halfpipe World Cup: Dec. 31, 2025-Jan. 3, 2026, Calgary.