Study on the sustainability legacy of the Canada Winter Games in Red Deer

Abstract

Red Deer, Alberta hosted Canada’s largest amateur sporting event in February 2019, the Canada Winter Games (CWG). There is little research on sustainability on the scale of a national amateur sporting event or impacts within the host community. Therefore, the research questions asked: can the introduction of sustainability initiatives through a sporting event truly have a lasting impact on the future of sustainability practices in Red Deer? Pre- and post-Game interviews were conducted with the sustainability managers and individuals at organizations involved in planning the Games. The results highlight that local community members are instrumental in affecting change by setting goals and it is critical to engage in planning sustainable initiatives as early as possible. Hosting the Games served as a catalyst for a range of sustainability initiatives in the City of Red Deer, which suggests that sustainable practices are likely to grow in the community.