Sask. hospitality industry believes world juniors could kickstart recovery

It’s like a Christmas miracle in March for the hospitality industry in Saskatchewan.

The city councils in Saskatoon and Regina both are meeting Friday to discuss a joint bid for the 2023 IIHF world junior championship tournament.

“It’s fantastic news that we are even having the conversation,” said Jim Bence, the president and CEO of Hospitality Saskatchewan. “I think that builds on the momentum and enthusiasm that we are seeing now even as we are going into spring and summer.

“This piece of business could fall at exactly the right time. Typically we’re a little bit slower at the end of December and early January. This would be extremely welcome news for the province.”

The ability to host the tournament — which runs from Dec. 25, 2022, to Jan. 5, 2023 — has come up rather quickly and unexpectedly over the past few months.

The tournament was originally set to take place in Novosibirsk, Russia but the IIHF stripped Russia of its hosting responsibilities at the end of February due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“It has come together very quickly,” said Chelsea Galloway, chief tourism and visitor growth officer with Tourism Regina. “It just speaks to our ability as a province to work together really well and it’s one of the benefits of actually being a smaller centre.

“We all know each other, we all work together very well and we can pick up the phone quickly and get business done.”

Galloway said the tournament could bring an economic impact of about $50 million.

“It’s a significant event: Over 300,000 fans potentially attending 31 games, 15,000 room nights, 20,000 out-of-town visitors and a really cool part is the live broadcast element,” Galloway said. “So 120 million people get to see Saskatoon and Regina on their TV screens at home.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to be able to show what our cities can do and encourage that tourism element in that we are a great destination for hosting major events.”

Galloway said the ask for the City of Regina is $350,000 to support the event. Galloway also said the bid committee will ask the province for funding as well.

It could also take place just a month after another major event — the 2022 Grey Cup on Nov. 20.

“There are no two bigger tournaments that we could have for Saskatchewan that would mean so much to us,” Bence said.

As the tourism industry tries to recover from being shut down to the pandemic, Bence believes this could be what’s needed to kickstart the industry once again.

“It would just be so welcome. Bring it on,” Bence said.

Tourism Saskatoon CEO Stephanie Clovechok says the province gained a positive reputation the last time the world junior championship was played here in 2010.

“First and foremost, Saskatchewan is Canada’s hockey destination,” Clovechok said. “Saskatoon and Regina both hosted the world juniors in 2010 and, per capita, it was the most successful event that Hockey Canada had ever hosted.”

Clovechok says organizers are already in the process of finalizing a bid to Hockey Canada and it will be completed within a week.

The bid includes the potential to have pre-tournament games around the province in Humboldt, Swift Current, Prince Albert and Moose Jaw.

“It’s not just an opportunity for Saskatoon and Regina, it’s a province-wide opportunity,” she said.

Ottawa and Quebec City are expected to put in a bid for hosting rights, but Clovechok isn’t too worried.

“I think that the Saskatchewan bid has always been and always will be the strongest,” she said.

— With files from 650 CKOM’s Dallas Dahlseide