Manitoba Games powered by Manitoba Hydro

Bringing together our province’s top young athletes

About

Manitoba's largest multi-sport event

Staged every two years and alternating between summer and winter sporting events, the Manitoba Games powered by Manitoba Hydro is the largest ongoing multi-sport event in the province. Every two years, the Games are awarded to a Host Community that comes together to put on this multi-sport event. The Games create important legacies in new and enhanced sport facilities, volunteer, and leadership development, that build capacity and support for amateur sport across the province. 

The Manitoba Games powered by Manitoba Hydro program was reinstituted in 1986 and were held every two years until the pandemic forced the postponement and then cancellation of both the 2020 and 2022 Games.

Fast-forward to 2024 when the Manitoba Games powered by Manitoba Hydro will return to Dauphin for the first time since 2004. For more information about Dauphin and the host community, visit Tourism Dauphin’s website.

History

Connecting our province in sport since 1972

In 1972 the Provincial Government approved the initiation of a Provincial Games Development Program, which would give rural Manitoba an equal opportunity to participate in amateur sport.

The first province-wide Manitoba Games powered by Manitoba Hydro were held in Winnipeg in late December as part of the city’s 1974 Centennial Celebration. These Games were used to identify and select Manitoba’s 1975 Canada Winter Games teams. Neepawa was chosen to host the 1976 Manitoba Summer Games and the 1978 Manitoba Winter Games were held in Dauphin. After a hiatus, the Manitoba Games powered by Manitoba Hydro program was reinstituted in 1986 and has been held every two years since.

The Manitoba Games aren’t possible without our title sponsor, Manitoba Hydro, presenting sponsors Calm Air, Manitoba’s Credit Unions, Konica Minolta, Travel Manitoba, the Manitoba Dental Association, and GEMS.pro by KIMIK iT. With their support we can continue to unite communities, inspire the next generation, and build a healthier Manitoba.

Host Communities

Legacies in all corners of our province

The Manitoba Games have helped shape our province’s athletic history and continue to act as a beacon of excellence for young athletes from all corners of the province looking to pursue competitive sport. We would like to extend a warm thank you to all the communities who’ve hosted the games in the past, and we hope to work together in the future to further develop sport in Manitoba.

1986 Winter - Flin Flon
1988 Summer - Beausejour/Pinawa
1990 Winter - Carman
1992 Summer - Minnedosa/Neepawa
1994 Winter - Thompson
1996 Summer - Morden
1998 Winter - Gimli
2000 Summer - Virden
2002 Winter - The Pas/OCN
2004 Summer - Dauphin
2006 Winter - Beausejour
2008 Summer - Carman
2010 Winter - Portage la Prairie
2012 Summer - Swan Valley
2014 Winter - Morden, Stanley, Winkler
2016 Summer - Steinbach
2018 Winter - Thompson

Future host societies can bid to host the Games. Learn more about the benefits for your community by reviewing our hosting guide, or contact Games Specialist Kelly Babb at kelly.babb@sportmanitoba.ca for more information. 

Economic Impact

Hosting the Manitoba Games is an economic driver

Sport Manitoba and the host communities worked with the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance’s Sport Tourism Economic Assessment Model (STEAM Pro 2.0) to generate economic impact studies for both the 2016 and 2018 Manitoba Games powered by Manitoba Hydro.

Economic impact studies measure the positive effects that events have on the economic activity in a specific region. They first calculate the amount of new money being spent in the host community as a direct result of holding the event, and then the impact these new monies have on the regional, provincial, and national economy as a whole.

The 2016 Summer Games in Steinbach generated $2.6 million in economic activity in Manitoba, including a $1.5 million boost to provincial GDP and $660,000 in visitor spending. The 2018 Winter Games in Thompson generated $1.7 million in economic activity in Manitoba including a $591,696 boost to provincial GDP and $859,000 in direct spending.

2024 Manitoba Games Chefs de Mission

  The Manitoba Games powered by Manitoba Hydro gather...

News Post

Become a Manitoba Games Volunteer!

The volunteer recruitment drive for the 2024 Manitoba Summer Games in Dauphin is now underway! This is your chance to be a part of the incredible experience that is the Manitoba Games. The 2024 Games will be held in Dauphin from August 11-17, 2024 and will feature athletes from 12 different sports. These Games will…

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