Taber, Alta., named 2026 Hockeyville champ after arena explosion

An Alberta town has been voted the winner of a national competition, securing $250,000 for arena repairs.

Taber, east of Lethbridge, was announced as the winner of the Kraft Hockeyville 2026 competition Saturday, beating fellow finalist Tumbler Ridge, B.C.

As the winner of the 20th-anniversary Hockeyville competition, Taber will receive $250,000 for rink upgrades, along with the chance to host an NHL pre-season game. As the runner-up, Tumbler Ridge gets $100,000.

The 11 provincial and territorial finalists each get $10,000 in brand-new hockey equipment for kids.

Taylor Gouw, president of the Taber Titans Charity and vice-president of the Taber Minor Hockey Association, told CBC News he and fellow community members "were just absolutely ecstatic" about the announcement.

"It was almost like winning the Stanley Cup," said Gouw.

Simon Laroche, president of Kraft Heinz Canada, said in a news release after the announcement that "we’ve seen just how deeply local rinks matter — not only as places to play, but as the heart of communities."

"From stories of resilience to moments of connection, this year’s communities reminded us that hockey is about far more than the game — it’s about showing up for one another."

The Taber Community Centre was rendered unusable after an explosion last December. The blast was caused by a Zamboni ice resurfacer, according to a third-party investigation.

In a news release Saturday, the Town of Taber expressed gratitude to those across Canada who voted for the town to win the national contest, as well as local residents impacted by the loss of the town's two rinks.

"There are moments that define a community. This is ours," the town said.

"To our community, you gave everything. You showed up in ways