Nominations open for North Peace Arena as Kraft Hockeyville launches 2026 competition

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Fort St. John is again among communities nationwide vying to be crowned winners of Kraft Hockeyville for 2026.

The annual competition pitting community ice rinks in Canada against one another for a chance to win $250,000 in upgrades is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2026.

To celebrate the anniversary, a press release revealed total cash winnings of $1 million. Each province and territory will crown an individual winner, who will receive $50,000. 

They will also advance to the final round for the large prize.

The winning facility will get the $250K upgrades and host a National Hockey League (NHL) pre-season game. The runner-up for 2026 will receive $100,000.

The North Peace Arena at 9806 96th Avenue in Fort St. John is up for another year, going up against rinks nationwide.

The arena is home to local hockey clubs, the Fort St. John Huskies of the Strike Group North West Junior Hockey League (NWJHL) and the Fort St. John Senior Flyers of the North Peace Hockey League (NPHL). It also hosts the Fort St. John Figure Skating Club.

This current winter has seen the facility host the NWJHL All-Star game and skills competition.

To vote, residents or supporters can log onto the Kraft Hockeyville website and leave a story illustrating their town’s passion for hockey, worth ten points; pictures of the community enjoying the facilities’ amenities, worth three points; and rallying cries of support, worth one point.

Also for 2026, former NHL goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury and podcast host and hockey media personality Paul ‘Biznasty’ Bissonnette will be program ambassadors for the contest, touting the importance of local rink revitalization and supporting the “next generation of hockey fans,” according to the release.

The deadline to submit nominations for the contest will be Sunday, March 1st. Judging will be from Monday, March 2nd to Saturday, March 14th, after which provincial and territorial winners will be announced.

The top two facilities will be announced on Saturday, March 21st, with online voting in early April. The winner will be announced on Saturday, April 4th.

The competition first took place in 2006, facilitated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).

To leave a testimonial or to learn more, visit the Kraft Hockeyville website.