Fort St. John receives over $20K to host sport events

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Fort St. John is receiving $20,100 in support from the province to host sporting-related events in order to attract visitors and allow local athletes to compete at home.

According to the Ministry of Sport, Fort St. John was given money for four speed skating events, three provincial championships and one national championship. The provincial government gave each of these events between $2,000 and $5,000.

A hockey or para-hockey group received $3,500 for a provincial championship and a gymnastics club was given $1,600 to host an invitational event.

The funding comes from two grant programs, the Major Events Program and Hosting BC.

The province invests $500,000 into each program annually.

According to the ministry, the Major Events Program is for large-scale international and national competitions, and the Hosting BC program is for not-for-profit organizations that host competitions and provide sports, economic and development opportunities.

Hosting BC is administered by viaSport, and the ministry said it is available to organizations wanting to host smaller-scale events.

The next intake for Hosting BC is expected to open in May 2023. For more information or to apply, visit viaSport’s website.

The full list of recipients can be viewed below: