WHISTLER (June 14, 2022) – Today, at a ceremony at the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre in Whistler, the Lil̓wat7úl (Líl̓wat), xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam),  Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) First Nations, together with partners at the City of Vancouver, Resort Municipality of Whistler, Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC), officially revealed a concept for hosting a future Olympic and Paralympic Games in British Columbia.

“As we navigated the feasibility phase, our Nations worked closely with the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Committees, and our municipal partners, to not only determine if it is possible to host, but to truly explore what it would mean to host an Indigenous-led Olympic and Paralympic Games,” said yəχʷyaχʷələq, Chief Wayne Sparrow. “With the release of the Games concept, we can finally begin to share that we are ready to welcome the world back to our territory and create new paths towards reconciliation through sport.”

The concept reveal marks the end of the feasibility phase, one step in an Indigenous-led and privately funded process that can set a global model for partnerships between First Nations, governments, and the world of sport in the exploration of hosting transformative major events.

“This is an important step in our consideration of a potential Indigenous-led bid for the Olympic and Paralympic Games,” said Squamish Nation Spokesperson Wilson Williams. “Now it is time to speak to our communities, and indeed the Canadian public, as we seek feedback on the more detailed proposal. In keeping with the traditions of our Nations, the communities will have an opportunity to add their voice to the discussion and help the Leadership Assembly as we move closer to a decision.”

“Today is a very important day, as we enter into the next phase of this Olympic journey,” said Chief Jen Thomas, Tsleil-Waututh Nation. “Tsleil-Waututh is honoured to stand with our families from the Four Host Nations and our partners as we continue the good work to move towards the first ever Indigenous-led Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

The hosting concept represents a proposed Winter Games that is sustainable, values-led and community-focused. The plan almost exclusively reuses and revamps existing venues – such as UBC’s Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre (ice hockey and Para ice hockey), the Richmond Olympic Oval (speed skating), and the Whistler Sliding Centre (bobsleigh, skeleton, luge) – ensuring that these important pieces of Canadian sport infrastructure are maintained and viable for generations to come. The concept also proposes a new partnership with Sun Peaks Ski Resort near Kamloops, which would host snowboard and freestyle skiing events on the traditional unceded territories of the Adams Lake, Little Shuswap Lake and Neskonlith Indian Bands.

In addition, the Games are designed to be climate-positive – the first Games mandated by the International Olympic Committee to have a net negative carbon footprint. This means sustainability is at the core of the concept, from venue reuse and construction to athlete transportation, with the aim of having a lasting impact on climate policy and action in Canada long beyond the Games.

“This exciting concept for a 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Games is about more than building on the successful legacy of the 2010 Games. An Indigenous led process, based on respect, inclusivity and community, started with an invitation from the Host First Nations to come to the table, each bringing unique strengths, to create an exceptional Games and to welcome the world in 2030,”  said Tricia Smith, four-time Olympian and COC President.  “Sport brings us together and this project can be an example of reconciliation and how we can work together to make us all better.

“The feasibility team, led by the Four Host First Nations, has done commendable work to explore a new vision for a future Olympic and Paralympic Games in British Columbia,” said Gail Hamamoto, Vice-President, Canadian Paralympic Committee. “An Indigenous-led host Games in 2030 would be fully inclusive and mark an exciting new stage of growth for the Paralympic Movement in Canada, providing robust, quality opportunities to grow Para sport in B.C. and across the country with lasting legacies in sport participation for people with a disability, high performance development, and awareness of Paralympic sport. We look forward to continuing the Games concept work with all partners and engaging in further discussions throughout the next phase.”

“Today’s unveiling of a hosting concept for a proposed 2030 Winter Olympic bid is another step in an Indigenous-led process that has put reconciliation at its core,” said Vancouver Mayor, Kennedy Stewart. “I am excited to see the robust consultation phase begin in each host community around this Games concept. It is an opportunity not only to engage around the idea of hosting the Olympics, but more importantly the idea of working in true partnership with the First Peoples of these lands to build a more sustainable, equitable and just future for all.”

“This Indigenous-led project represents an exciting opportunity to build stronger relationships and stronger communities. We have the experience, expertise and learnings from the 2010 Winter Games to help make a 2030 bid even better,” said Whistler Mayor Jack Crompton. “In this next phase of the project, we will be listening and learning from Whistlerites, to ensure the long-term legacy of any future Games creates strong positive impacts, especially in the areas of workforce housing, transportation and accelerating progress on our climate objectives. Coming out of the pandemic, the Games represent an opportunity for us to reimagine our future, and build our community back stronger, together.”

With an initial hosting concept developed, the project will advance into a broad and ongoing phase of community engagement and discussion with the public – a process that started within the communities of the Four Host Nations. The team is now actively seeking to discuss the project in greater detail with the public and other key stakeholders at the local, regional, and national levels. In the coming weeks, more details will be announced, including financial estimates.

This engagement will help inform the leadership assembly partners. Should the project proceed, the COC, on behalf of the partners, would continue dialogue with the IOC within the international bidding process.