by Heidi Riley
From February 18 to March 5 next year, more than 3,600 athletes, managers, and coaches from 20 different sports will gather on PEI to compete in the 2023 Canada Winter Games.
“The 2023 Canada Winter Games will be the largest sporting event ever held on PEI,” says Laura Huntley, Human Resources.
Even though the start of the Games is almost a year away, many activities are already underway. From tip to tip on PEI, many of the sports venues that will host the events are in the process of being upgraded as they prepare for the start of the games.
“Different functional areas of the games organization will be busy at different times within the next year,” says Laura. “As of the middle of March, HR is really busy as we hire staff, and marketing is really busy as they try to get the word out about the games. Finance and Volunteer coordination is also really busy. The other functional areas are in planning mode and starting to get very busy as well.”
Hiring has already begun. Currently, 47 people have been hired, and in total, about 70 people will be hired to plan and organize this event.
Some job titles that have already been filled
- Coordinator, Venues
- Coordinator, Transportation
- Coordinator, Official Languages and Communications
- Coordinator, Partnership Services
- Coordinator, Volunteer Services
- Coordinator, Food Services
- Coordinator, Human Resources
- Coordinator, Overlay and Fit Out
- Coordinator, Logistics and Materials Management
- Manager, Community Relations and Volunteer Services
Ten positions will be coming up in the near future:
- Coordinator, Venues
- Coordinator, Warehouse
- Warehouse Support Assistant
- Satellite Venue Assistant
- Look & Signage Assistant
- Coordinator Village Life
- Coordinator Essential Services & Security
- Assistant Coordinator, Finance
- Coordinator, Official Languages
Ten more positions will be hired closer to the start of the Canada Games as the need arises. Most jobs will end by March 31, 2023.
“We are looking for people who are super excited to be part of our team, eager to learn, organized, and happy to work in a fast-paced environment. This is definitely a different type of organization than a regular job. We are all creating processes and procedures as we work together.”
How to apply
Visit the Careers section of the Canada Games website
Positions will be posted as they become available. Your resume and cover letter can be uploaded as you apply through the website.
Other positions such as bus drivers will be filled through private companies which will be contracted to provide services to the Games.
Importance of volunteers
“While the Canada Games are running, they will be the second largest workforce on PEI (after the Provincial Public Service),” says Kim Munro, Manager, Volunteer Services & Registration and Accreditation.
“Volunteers are the lifeblood of the Canada Games, and we could not hold the games without their help.” Volunteers will be needed at every venue, as well as at the operational centre.
“We need the enthusiasm, hospitality, and expertise of over 5,000 volunteers to help deliver a life shaping Games experience. We also need 500 bilingual volunteers to deliver the Games in both official languages.
“I have no doubt that we can find such a large number of volunteers,” says Kim. “The volunteer portal opened on February 18, and two weeks later 1,100 people already signed up. Islanders love to give back to their community.”
The volunteer roles will accommodate a wide range of skills and experience. Volunteers will receive training and a uniform kit. Some examples of roles include minor officials for sports, ushers, ticket takers, information kiosk people, food service attendants, and helping out at the athlete’s village on the UPEI campus. In addition, volunteers will also be needed at Crabbe Mountain in New Brunswick and at the Halifax Oval.
“By mid-March 2022, there were already about 300 volunteers working for the Games across the province and in Halifax and Crabbe Mountain,” says Kim. “Closer to the start of the games, volunteers will be getting the venues ready, organizing the opening and closing ceremonies, and working during the duration of the games from February 18 to March 5. After the games conclude, they will help decommission the sites.”
“There is a volunteer role for everyone, from someone who wants to be involved a year before the games start, to those who want to be there for a minimum of 32 hours during the games. We will work with people of all abilities, backgrounds and age groups to come help us out.”
A list of volunteer roles can be found here.
Click here to register for volunteer roles. Those who don’t have a home computer may sign up at their local provincial library.
People can also sign up to volunteer at the Volunteer Centre, which will open at the end of March 2022 at 121B Sandstone Road, near Old Navy in Charlottetown.
The portal can be accessed in French or English, and it takes about 10 minutes to sign up. When you go into the portal to sign up to volunteer, you will be given three choices of what you would be most interested in doing. It also asks about your availability so that you can find a volunteer position that will most suit your needs and preferences.
Volunteers will be needed at host venues across PEI
- UPEI: The newly constructed residence on campus will serve as the athletes’ village. As well, the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre on the UPEI campus will host badminton and wheelchair basketball events, and The MacLauchlan Arena on the UPEI campus will host Canada Games hockey and ringette.
- Multisport Dome, Credit Union Place, Summerside will host boxing, fencing, and table tennis.
- Credit Union Place in Summerside will host boxing, female hockey, and male hockey.
- Cavendish Farms Community Events Centre in Tyne Valley will host male hockey.
- Cavendish Farms Wellness Centre in Montague will host ringette.
- Eastlink Centre in Charlottetown will kick off and wrap up the 2023 Canada Winter Games with the opening and closing ceremonies. It will also host archery, male hockey, judo, karate, and squash.
- Evangeline Recreation Centre in Abrams Village will host female hockey.
- Mark Arendz Provincial Ski Park at Brookvale will host alpine, para-alpine, biathlon, free-style ski, snowboard, and Nordic cross-country events.
- Montague Curling Club will host mixed curling events.
- North Rustico Canada Games Centre will host figure skating and short track speed skating.
- Norton Diamond Soccer Complex in Stratford will host Artistic Gymnastics.
- O’Leary Cavendish Farms Arena will host a male hockey event.
- Tignish Credit Union Arena will host female hockey.
- Pownal Sports Centre will be a practice venue for Canada Games athletes and host ringette.
- Silver Fox Entertainment Complex in Summerside will host male and female curling.
- Crabbe Mountain in New Brunswick will hold downhill ski events.
- The Halifax Oval will host long track speed skating
FOR MORE INFORMATION
visit www.2023canadagames.ca
