Quest to add events to Canada Games can be a challenging one

Some additions to the Canada Games' event program may seem obvious, but for organizers the process is anything but.

The 2023 Winter Games in P.E.I. saw the addition of the sport of karate as well as two new events within existing sports: women's boxing and curling mixed doubles. 

Ontario boxer Ruqaya Nawaz will be competing in the 50-kg weight class as women's boxing makes its Winter Games debut. She says it's about time female boxers get the same spotlight as the men.

"I wish it was in the Games earlier," she said. "But I think this is a very cool opportunity to be a part of, and I'm really happy that we're making history."

The decision on which events are in and which are out is not made casually. 

Kelly-Ann Paul, president and CEO of the Canada Games Council, says that long before the actual sporting competition begins, there's another competition to see which events are added.

"We go through a very, very rigorous, very objective sports selection process," she said.

"There's about 65 funded national sport organizations in Canada that want to be on the Canada Games program, but we only have so much room."

Paul said there is space for about 37 sports on the summer and winter program. To make room for women's boxing, the council worked with Boxing Canada to cut some of the men's weight classes from the program.

She said the council takes into account factors related to sports development as well as local and social priorities, including promoting inclusion.

"Karate is making its debut on the Canada Games program — again, a gender-balanced sport," she said. "Obviously, it shows a lot of diversity in that sport, and it's been a really exciting sport to watch."

Artistic swimming, which had been part of the winter program