Canada Games aiming for 'Good Vibes Only' at St. John's 2025 and beyond

When it comes to the atmosphere around the 2025 Canada Games in St. John's, there's only room for one type of attitude: Good Vibes Only.

That's not just a catchphrase, it's the title of the organization's safe sport awareness campaign.

Canada Games president and CEO Kelly-Ann Paul said 'Good Vibes Only' is part of her team's effort to change how people view safe sport policy, which is about creating a playing field free of harassment, abuse and discrimination.

"[With] safe sports, there's a lot of negative connotation about where things have come from, right? You know, 'don't do this. You can't say that. No more harassment, no more bullying, no more bad language. No more hazing.'," Paul said.

"There's been a lot of, 'don't, don't, don't, don't, don't,' and not a lot of explanation of what to do, how to treat people, how sports should feel."

The Good Vibes Only campaign includes video messaging that encourages people to speak up for safe sport. The first video features prominent Canada Games alumni Kylie Masse, Charles Hamelin, Allison Forsyth and Woody Belfort.

Paul said the Canada Games Council has been working with Generation Safe — a safe sport education organization started by Olympic alpine skier Forsyth, who became an advocate after living through her own sexual abuse in the sport system.

"To have an impact, we have to call out maltreatment when we see it," Forsyth said in a statement. "Canada Games participants are at a key stage in their development and athletic journeys, and this campaign will elevate their awareness about maltreatment in sport. As a community — athletes, parents, coaches, officials and administrators — we loudly need to expect better and rally together to keep sport safe for all."

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