The City of Whitehorse, Arctic Winter Games International Committee and the 2026 Arctic Winter Games Society signed a hosting agreement Monday.

That means the Arctics are returning to Whitehorse. It also means that the society has a lot of work to do.

The Star spoke with host society president Tracey Bilsky Tuesday to get a better idea of what the agreement entails.

She said “this is essentially protocol, getting the signatures on paper so we can become official.”

Bilsky said early in the new year they will be hosting a launch event that “explains more details and where we’re at right now, what we need to do – inviting the larger sport community and inviting the media.”

The 2026 Arctics were originally awarded to Yamal, Russia. However, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Arctic Winter Games Committee suspended Yamal from hosting the 2026 AWG.

“Based on current events, the International Committee had to find a new host, and they had to do it quickly,” explained Bilsky. “So when the City of Whitehorse expressed some interest, the international community was extremely excited about that because of our history of hosting, our knowledge and skill of our citizens and our volunteers, and moved quickly on approaching the city to host the 2026 Arctic Winter Games.”

Because of the two year deadline, the host society is under the gun.

“We do have less time than most host organizations do,” said Bilsky.

“We’re coming up on just two years out, and we’ll have a lot of work to do. However, we can lean on a good bulk of the work that was done for the preparation for the Arctic Winter Games 2020 before those were cancelled due to the pandemic.”

Bilsky said the Arctics will have a multi-faceted effect on the territory. It will bring at least 2,000 athletes, coaches and mission staff to Whitehorse. Dignitaries, VIPs, parents and visitors will also be coming to the territory.

“That will create some economic impact in our territory for one,” related Bilskey.

“For two, it will showcase who we are to the world, to the circumpolar north. It will help develop our sport community and give our sport community something to look forward to and something to work toward.”

Bilsky added that the Games will grow the capacity of volunteers in the territory.

“It’s time for us to grow new volunteers and build the expertise in our territory again.”

The potential economic impact of hosting the 2020 Games was an estimated $5.7 million.

According to Bilsky, the next steps in the process include hiring a general manager.

“We have a small board of governors that will help direct the creation of values and guiding principles. It’ll be up to me to start the conversation and the creation of partnerships. So Yukon First Nations, the business community, Yukon governments, City of Whitehorse, our own host society, the Arctic Winter Games International Committee, some federal funding bodies, etc. on how best for us to communicate, to leverage what everyone offers and to make contributions efficient and conversations efficient and creative in determining how best to host these games.

“We will need to start initiation of a federal funding application process.”

A budget and cash flow will need to be created.

Logo creation and branding also need to be addressed.

“One of the most important things to me will be to to make a public call out to Yukoners to see who wants to be involved in this extremely exciting event. I hope to have some veterans put their hands up but I really do hope that we have new Yukoners, younger people, diverse population, new Canadians, a group of really diverse people who will put their hands up to join the team to organize this event.” 300-350 planning volunteers will be required.

Over 3000 volunteers will be required to host the Games themselves.

The cost of hosting the Games is also to be determined.

According to a document from the City of Whitehorse, in recent years, the cost of hosting the Games has ranged from $7 million to more than $13 million. Using information from 2020 – the AWG budget and audited financial statements – it is estimated that the 2026 Games could cost approximately $9.55 million, reflecting a 22 per cent increase over budgeted costs for 2020.

The Preliminary Cost Estimates, or contribution commitments, are as follows:

• Federal Operating Grant: $1,550,000 cash

• Territorial Operating Grant: $4 million cash, $350,000 in-kind

• Municipal Operating Grant: $250,000 cash, $500,000 in-kind

• Additional Revenues: (sales, sponsorship, etc.): $2,250,000 cash, $650,000 in-kind

The city’s contribution would have to be approved in the budget process.

The final budget would be developed by the host society. Bilsky said that is one of their first steps.

“That process is refined all the way through.”

Bilsky said the cost of hosting each event has to be determined in order to come up with an operating budget.

She also pointed out that they’ll have less time to approach sponsors this time around.

“We’re hoping that all of the sponsors who were in line for 2020 will support the 2026 games.

“Sustainability is something that’s really important to me and I’m hoping will be important once we create our values and guiding principles. Because I would love to see the Arctic Winter Games continue endlessly. And the event is really, really big. And there are a lot of expectations that are created through the years.”

Bilsky added that they are hoping to create efficiencies that would benefit smaller jurisdictions thinking of hosting the Games. That would include looking at “what creates a really healthy athlete experience and execute a games that is more sustainable, so that it contributes to the life of the Arctic Winter Games.”

The Arctics aren’t intended to be a money-making venture.

“The aim is is definitely not to make money,” asserted Bilsky.

“In 2012, there was a little bit of money leftover that was then disseminated to the sport governing bodies in the territory but it’s definitely not a lot and it’s not the goal. The goal is to ensure we are financially responsible, fiscally responsible and that we we don’t come out of these games in the red.”

The host society will be looking for federal money from CanNor and Sport Canada, as well as Canadian Heritage.

Bilsky said she’s hoping for a $2 million contribution from Sport Canada.

They will also be looking to tap into funding from Yukon Lotteries.

“We’ll be looking for money in all sorts of different creative ways and from all different avenues,” said Bilsky.

Bilsky stressed that the process is really in its infancy.

“We’re at the starting line right now. And these are all very important tasks that we need to start now that we have the hosting agreement signed; we have that ability to now move forward.”

When asked if she thinks there are enough volunteers out there, Bilsky said in 2020, their volunteer division met their target.

“We need to find the same type of people to lead that division, to be able to recruit and train volunteers in the same way they did for 2020. They did such an excellent job. It was Sue Meikle and Jan Mann, and so they were ready to go.

“We’re hoping that those people that weren’t able to experience their volunteer shifts, that they will return again and that they will be there to help us showcase Yukon in 2026.”

Bilsky is confident that the existing venues will be fully capable of handling the 2026 Arctics.

“Our venues are actually really excellent. Based on what we have planned, we’ll probably keep a lot of the venues the same as 2020. Venue-wise, we’re sitting quite well.”

Unlike the failed 2027 Canada Winter Games bid, there are no ambitious plans to build legacy projects for the 2026 Arctic Winter Games. That doesn’t mean, however, that sports organizations will come away empty-handed.

“Last time with Lotteries Yukon, sports did receive a lot of new equipment that they would have needed to host and then of course were able to use that over the last three years. So we’re hoping to be able to do something like that again,” said Bilsky.

She added she’s “excited about it, but it can feel daunting at times. But I think if we have the right people in place, and good energy, solid partnerships and buy-in from all of our partners, that this will be a really great experience.”

Bilsky also asked for people “to watch out over the next couple of months for a call-out for some of our key planning volunteers.”

“If they think that they don’t know a lot about sport, you definitely don’t need to know a lot about sport to be involved and to be a solid voice around a planning table. We need everything from people who know how to seat and move people with spectator services, we need people who have expertise in IT.

“We need people who are interested in marketing sponsorship culture. You do not need to know or have been involved in sport in order to be involved in this fantastic event.”