The Canada Games are over — but they left a legacy of infrastructure

The 2023 Canada Games have ended. But some Islanders say the sporting event will continue to have a positive impact on the province for years to come.

The Games' closing ceremony was held Sunday night, and athletes from away will journey home Monday.

The two-week event saw the arrival of thousands of visitors, and the Island had to build new infrastructure to be able to host them

That infrastructure will still be in use on the Island, organizers say. It includes a $63-million residence in UPEI. a $10-million Olympic-size skating rink in North Rustico, and a $5-million multi-purpose dome.

"That's the bricks and mortar legacy. But there's a lot of human legacy that we leave, with those volunteers that will remember for their lifetime doing the Canada Games," said Canada Games host society chair Wayne Carew. 

"It's a legacy that allows the communities to say, yeah, we can host these events because we know that we have the horsepower to do it."

Carew said organizers prioritized spending resources on facilities that would continue to be enjoyed after the Games.

They had considered building a long-track speed skating oval on P.E.I., but they reconsidered because they would've spent $2 million on facilities that were temporary. That event was held in Halifax instead.

Organizers said there's a sports infrastructure deficit across Canada and the Games help influence more development.

Carew said over the years the Games have helped to build infrastructure across Canada that's worth billions of dollars. The Eastlink Centre and Credit Union Place are some of the legacy infrastructure projects from previous times P.E.I. has been a host.

J.P. Desrosiers,chief administrative officer for the City of Summerside, says the new