Charlottetown, PE (January 5, 2023) - The PEI 2023 Canada Winter Games has officially reached its goal of recruiting 5,000 volunteers who will help welcome the nation to Prince Edward Island for the 29th edition of the Canada Games from February 18 to March 5, 2023.

“We are truly overwhelmed by the dedication, commitment, and support of our volunteers,” said Wayne Carew, Board Chair, 2023 Canada Games Host Society. “Islanders have a rich history of giving back to the community and supporting big events and the enthusiasm and engagement we’ve seen to date for the PEI 2023 Canada Winter Games is another proof point of that. We’d like to thank all of our volunteers for their commitment to making this one of the best Games ever.”

The Atlantic Lottery Community Proud Volunteer Program officially opened on February 18, 2022, inviting residents of PEI and beyond to apply for the thousands of volunteer positions required to host a life-shaping Games experience.

"We always knew that Atlantic Canadians would show up in a big way to support the 2023 Canada Winter Games and represent their local communities," said Patrick Daigle, Atlantic Lottery President and CEO. "Having now reached 5,000 volunteers, we are blown away by the level of commitment our region has to giving back and have never been more proud of this place we call home.”

The PEI 2023 Canada Games Host Society has also surpassed its goal of recruiting 500 bilingual volunteers to help deliver a Games in both Official Languages. The total number of registered bilingual volunteers is 700.

For those still interested in volunteering, the 2023 Canada Games Host Society will continue to accept applications to be placed on a waitlist. Those applicants will be contacted in the event that additional volunteer positions and vacancies open up.

Next Steps in the Volunteer Journey

The Volunteer Services team is currently screening and scheduling volunteers for different roles. Volunteers who have been assigned a role will be able to log into their accounts and select volunteer shifts that best suit their schedules.

The training process has already begun and will be rolled out in three steps:

• General Games Orientation and Training
• Role Specific Training
• Venue Training

Volunteers are encouraged to check their emails and junk mail regularly for updates on the volunteer process including information on training, scheduling, and uniform distribution.

Since the first Canada Games took place in Quebec City as part of the country’s centennial celebration in 1967, over 100,000 people have volunteered to help support and deliver all aspects of the Games' 50-plus year history.