The provincial and federal governments are making $26-million matching investments to modernize Calgary's Olympic Oval, ensuring one of the nation's premier sport facilities continues to support high-performance athletes and recreational users for decades to come. This joint investment will fund critical infrastructure upgrades, including replacing the original refrigerated concrete slab that supports the 400-metre oval and two ice rinks, installing a new ice plant and upgrading key mechanical, electrical, structural and life-safety systems.
Since opening in 1987, the Olympic Oval has helped generations of Canadian athletes pursue excellence on the world stage, including at the Olympic, Paralympic and world championship levels. These upgrades will extend the life of the internationally recognized facility, ensuring current and future generations of athletes have access to a world-class training environment where they can develop their skills, push the limits of performance and compete at the highest levels.
“We are happy to see this project moving forward through joint efforts with the Government of Canada. This investment will preserve one of Canada's premier sport facilities, supporting high-performance athlete development while helping strengthen Canada's sport system and encouraging healthier lifestyles in communities for years to come.”
“The Olympic Oval is a legendary facility, and together with the Government of Alberta, we are ensuring the long-term operation of the fastest ice in the world, where Olympic medalists have trained, won, and set countless world records. Through this partnership, we are continuing to prove that Canada is the best sport-hosting nation in the world. We’re building Canada Strong, from playground to podium.”
Since opening for the 1988 Winter Olympic Games, the Oval has earned global acclaim as “The Fastest Ice in the World” and continues to serve as an International Skating Union (ISU) Centre of Excellence. The Olympic Oval has served as the training site for 26 Olympic medallists who have won 40 Olympic medals, including 12 gold, for Team Canada.
“Today’s investments are of paramount importance to building a stronger Canada. We are working together with sporting organizations and the provincial government to invest in national training centres, including the Olympic Oval, that will provide both athletes and broader communities with world-class facilities. Investments such as these promote healthy, active lifestyles, foster our talent and position Canada as a top sporting destination.”
“The University of Calgary’s Olympic Oval has helped generations of athletes pursue excellence while advancing research and innovation in sport. This investment will preserve a world-class facility that supports students, athletes and the broader community, while reinforcing Alberta’s leadership in athletic performance, research and innovation.”
The Olympic Oval welcomes thousands of Canadians each year to skate, learn new skills and stay active, while providing world-class training opportunities for high-performance athletes. Today's announcement reflects the shared commitment of the Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta to invest in sport infrastructure that benefits athletes and communities alike. Preserving the Olympic Oval ensures future generations can train, compete, skate and connect in a world-class facility that continues to shape Canada's sport legacy.
“The University of Calgary thanks the Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta for these critical and timely investments to ensure the Olympic Oval remains one of the nation’s premier athletic facilities. This funding enables the continuation of globally recognized research undertaken at the University of Calgary, in human physiology, injury prevention and recovery, and equipment design.”
“We want to keep turning out medallists from this building, and it's not just speed skaters – we have hockey players, bobsledders, lugers and biathletes. This funding will allow us to be the medal factory that continues to train athletes for the Olympics on a national level.”
“The Olympic Oval will always be special to me because it helped me reach the top of the Olympic podium twice, but some of my favourite memories are watching my own children learn to skate there. It's a place that belongs to everyone – a world-class facility where our community can come together, be active and dream big, and now, thanks to this funding, the next generation can continue to dream.”
Quick Facts:
- The provincial and federal governments are contributing $26 million each toward this joint investment in the Olympic Oval.
- From 2022 to 2024, events hosted at the Oval injected more than $33 million into Calgary's local economy, attracting visitors from across Canada and around the world.
- The Olympic Oval has served as the training site for 26 Olympic medallists who have won 40 Olympic medals, including 12 gold, for Canada.
- The facility has served as the primary training ground for legendary Canadian Olympians who have built world-leading careers on its ice, including; Catriona Le May Doan, Cindy Klassen, Clara Hughes, Christine Nesbitt, Denny Morrison, Isabelle Weidemann, Ivanie Blondin, Kristina Groves and Jeremy Wotherspoon.
- Beyond serving national and international elite athletes, the facility welcomes more than 40,000 public recreational skaters every year.
As a cornerstone of world speed skating, the Oval has hosted an international competition almost every single year since 1987.