BORDEN-CARLETON, P.E.I. — Sarah MacEachern and Logan MacDougall understand what it’s like to represent P.E.I. at the Canada Games.

They agree Team P.E.I. members are in for a memorable experience when Canada’s smallest province hosts the 2023 Winter Games from Feb. 18 to March 5.

“It was definitely one of the best experiences I ever had,” said MacEachern, who played defence on P.E.I.’s female hockey team at the 2019 Canada Winter Games in Red Deer, Alta.

I love playing hockey, but (the Canada Games is) more than hockey.

“You get to meet so many new people; the culture and the community there are unreal. The hockey was amazing, playing against the best people in the country.”

MacDougall, from Summerside, represented P.E.I. in baseball and volleyball at the 2017 Canada Summer Games in Winnipeg, Man.

“Everything is first-class there,” said MacDougall, 21. “You feel like a big deal. That’s a big part of it and just the experience itself – the events, the venues we got to play at and getting a chance to travel and see another part of Canada.”

Municipal partners

P.E.I.’s two cities – Charlottetown and Summerside – were announced as municipal partners for the event Thursday morning at the Marine Rail Historical Park in Borden-Carleton overlooking the Confederation Bridge. The 2023 Canada Winter Games will be the largest multi-sport event in Canada.

Charlottetown Mayor Philip Brown said the Canada Games is a tremendous opportunity to celebrate the warmth and hospitality of Prince Edward Islanders.

‍

“The benefits of the Games will far outlast the events themselves and leave a legacy of top-calibre facilities, community pride and national unity,” said Brown.

“Sports events, besides what it does for the economy and athletes, really lift the spirits of the community,” said Summerside Mayor Basil Stewart.

The City of Charlottetown will contribute $1.8 million, and the City of Summerside’s contribution is $745,000.

“That formula was calculated at $50 per capita, so that’s why there is a discrepancy,” said Wayne Carew, board co-chair of the 2023 Canada Games Host Society.”

At a glance

Here’s a look at Charlottetown and Summerside’s deal as municipal partners for the 2023 Canada Winter Games:

Charlottetown

A new residence under construction at UPEI is expected to be completed in the fall of 2022. It will be the home of the athletes’ village, accommodating over 3,600 participants.

New concussion-resistant boards and glass are being installed at Eastlink Arena, which will host the opening and closing ceremonies.

A Canada Games Festival Grounds will be located in the heart of Charlottetown and will feature 10-plus days of live music by local and nationally-recognized artists, cultural events and sponsor activations that will shine a national spotlight on P.E.I.

Summerside

Construction of a new multi-purpose dome which, at 65,000 square feet, will be the largest on Prince Edward Island and will be officially recognized as a Canada Games legacy venue.

Updates to the Silver Fox Entertainment Complex will include accessibility improvements. The Silver Fox will host curling.

Residents will be able to enjoy marquee Games competition, including hockey, curling, boxing, fencing and table tennis.

These Games will bring significant economic activity to the province. Carew noted the economic impact of the 2023 Canada Games will be around $110 million. This figure does not include the $63-million residence under construction at UPEI.

Carew said the Canada Games is an opportunity for Prince Edward Islanders to see the stars of tomorrow.

For example, he mentioned Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby and former Columbus Blue Jacket and New York Ranger star Rick Nash as athletes who competed in the Canada Games at a young age.

“Who are we going to discover here in February 2023?” said Carew. “What future Olympian? What future professional sports star? What future business leader are we going to see first here on Prince Edward Island?”

‍

‍

Sparked opportunities

The 17-year-old MacEachern, from Canoe Cove, and MacDougall said they received opportunities because they participated in the Canada Games.

“The Canada Games sparked a lot of different things for me,” said MacEachern, who plays for the Etobicoke Jr. Dolphins of the Provincial Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) in Ontario and has committed to play Division 1 NCAA hockey with Cornell University in the fall of 2022.

“There were so many scouts and different teams (at the Canada Games), so whenever I got home, there were some different opportunities from universities. It’s a great event to go work hard at and showcase what you have.”

When MacDougall competed in Winnipeg, he had already committed to playing baseball at the University of Winnipeg. But the program folded about a month later.

He would end up attending the University of Calgary, where he recently graduated with a kinesiology degree. Had it not been for the Canada Games, MacDougall may not have ended up in Calgary.

“It was a good opportunity because the Calgary coach did see me play on TSN when I pitched (for Team P.E.I.), so after the Canada Games, I got talking to him a bit, and that’s how the opportunity came up,” said MacDougall.

Along with competing, MacEachern and MacDougall said they have many fond memories from the Canada Games.

MacDougall urged the athletes to make the most of the opportunity and leave everything they have on the playing surface. The fact P.E.I. athletes will be competing on home soil in 2023 is not lost on MacDougall.

“You are going to have lots of friends and family supporting you,” he said. “That is unique as when we went out to Winnipeg we just had our parents.”

MacEachern, who will miss the age eligibility by one year in 2023, said her highlights from 2019 included pin trading, socializing in the athletes' village and meeting people from across the country. She encouraged the P.E.I. athletes to enjoy the total experience.

“I wish I could go again for hockey because it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” she said. “Try to enjoy every single moment.”

‍

‍