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The City of Whitehorse, Arctic Winter Games International Committee and the 2026 Arctic Winter Games Society signed a hosting agreement Monday.

That means the Arctics are returning to Whitehorse. It also means that the society has a lot of work to do.

The Star spoke with host society president Tracey Bilsky Tuesday to get a better idea of what the agreement entails.

She said 鈥渢his is essentially protocol, getting the signatures on paper so we can become official.鈥�

Bilsky said early in the new year they will be hosting a launch event that 鈥渆xplains more details and where we鈥檙e at right now, what we need to do 鈥� inviting the larger sport community and inviting the media.鈥�

The 2026 Arctics were originally awarded to Yamal, Russia. However, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Arctic Winter Games Committee suspended Yamal from hosting the 2026 AWG.

鈥淏ased on current events, the International Committee had to find a new host, and they had to do it quickly,鈥� explained Bilsky. 鈥淪o when the City of Whitehorse expressed some interest, the international community was extremely excited about that because of our history of hosting, our knowledge and skill of our citizens and our volunteers, and moved quickly on approaching the city to host the 2026 Arctic Winter Games.鈥�

Because of the two year deadline, the host society is under the gun.

鈥淲e do have less time than most host organizations do,鈥� said Bilsky.

鈥淲e鈥檙e coming up on just two years out, and we鈥檒l have a lot of work to do. However, we can lean on a good bulk of the work that was done for the preparation for the Arctic Winter Games 2020 before those were cancelled due to the pandemic.鈥�

Bilsky said the Arctics will have a multi-faceted effect on the territory. It will bring at least 2,000 athletes, coaches and mission staff to Whitehorse. Dignitaries, VIPs, parents and visitors will also be coming to the territory.

鈥淭hat will create some economic impact in our territory for one,鈥� related Bilskey.

鈥淔or two, it will showcase who we are to the world, to the circumpolar north. It will help develop our sport community and give our sport community something to look forward to and something to work toward.鈥�

Bilsky added that the Games will grow the capacity of volunteers in the territory.

鈥淚t鈥檚 time for us to grow new volunteers and build the expertise in our territory again.鈥�

The potential economic impact of hosting the 2020 Games was an estimated $5.7 million.

According to Bilsky, the next steps in the process include hiring a general manager.

鈥淲e have a small board of governors that will help direct the creation of values and guiding principles. It鈥檒l be up to me to start the conversation and the creation of partnerships. So Yukon First Nations, the business community, Yukon governments, City of Whitehorse, our own host society, the Arctic Winter Games International Committee, some federal funding bodies, etc. on how best for us to communicate, to leverage what everyone offers and to make contributions efficient and conversations efficient and creative in determining how best to host these games.

鈥淲e will need to start initiation of a federal funding application process.鈥�

A budget and cash flow will need to be created.

Logo creation and branding also need to be addressed.

鈥淥ne of the most important things to me will be to to make a public call out to Yukoners to see who wants to be involved in this extremely exciting event. I hope to have some veterans put their hands up but I really do hope that we have new Yukoners, younger people, diverse population, new Canadians, a group of really diverse people who will put their hands up to join the team to organize this event.鈥� 300-350 planning volunteers will be required.

Over 3000 volunteers will be required to host the Games themselves.

The cost of hosting the Games is also to be determined.

According to a document from the City of Whitehorse, in recent years, the cost of hosting the Games has ranged from $7 million to more than $13 million. Using information from 2020 鈥� the AWG budget and audited financial statements 鈥� it is estimated that the 2026 Games could cost approximately $9.55 million, reflecting a 22 per cent increase over budgeted costs for 2020.

The Preliminary Cost Estimates, or contribution commitments, are as follows:

• Federal Operating Grant: $1,550,000 cash

• Territorial Operating Grant: $4 million cash, $350,000 in-kind

• Municipal Operating Grant: $250,000 cash, $500,000 in-kind

• Additional Revenues: (sales, sponsorship, etc.): $2,250,000 cash, $650,000 in-kind

The city鈥檚 contribution would have to be approved in the budget process.

The final budget would be developed by the host society. Bilsky said that is one of their first steps.

鈥淭hat process is refined all the way through.鈥�

Bilsky said the cost of hosting each event has to be determined in order to come up with an operating budget.

She also pointed out that they鈥檒l have less time to approach sponsors this time around.

鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping that all of the sponsors who were in line for 2020 will support the 2026 games.

鈥淪ustainability is something that鈥檚 really important to me and I鈥檓 hoping will be important once we create our values and guiding principles. Because I would love to see the Arctic Winter Games continue endlessly. And the event is really, really big. And there are a lot of expectations that are created through the years.鈥�

Bilsky added that they are hoping to create efficiencies that would benefit smaller jurisdictions thinking of hosting the Games. That would include looking at 鈥渨hat creates a really healthy athlete experience and execute a games that is more sustainable, so that it contributes to the life of the Arctic Winter Games.鈥�

The Arctics aren鈥檛 intended to be a money-making venture.

鈥淭he aim is is definitely not to make money,鈥� asserted Bilsky.

鈥淚n 2012, there was a little bit of money leftover that was then disseminated to the sport governing bodies in the territory but it鈥檚 definitely not a lot and it鈥檚 not the goal. The goal is to ensure we are financially responsible, fiscally responsible and that we we don鈥檛 come out of these games in the red.鈥�

The host society will be looking for federal money from CanNor and Sport Canada, as well as Canadian Heritage.

Bilsky said she鈥檚 hoping for a $2 million contribution from Sport Canada.

They will also be looking to tap into funding from Yukon Lotteries.

鈥淲e鈥檒l be looking for money in all sorts of different creative ways and from all different avenues,鈥� said Bilsky.

Bilsky stressed that the process is really in its infancy.

鈥淲e鈥檙e at the starting line right now. And these are all very important tasks that we need to start now that we have the hosting agreement signed; we have that ability to now move forward.鈥�

When asked if she thinks there are enough volunteers out there, Bilsky said in 2020, their volunteer division met their target.

鈥淲e need to find the same type of people to lead that division, to be able to recruit and train volunteers in the same way they did for 2020. They did such an excellent job. It was Sue Meikle and Jan Mann, and so they were ready to go.

鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping that those people that weren鈥檛 able to experience their volunteer shifts, that they will return again and that they will be there to help us showcase Yukon in 2026.鈥�

Bilsky is confident that the existing venues will be fully capable of handling the 2026 Arctics.

鈥淥ur venues are actually really excellent. Based on what we have planned, we鈥檒l probably keep a lot of the venues the same as 2020. Venue-wise, we鈥檙e sitting quite well.鈥�

Unlike the failed 2027 Canada Winter Games bid, there are no ambitious plans to build legacy projects for the 2026 Arctic Winter Games. That doesn鈥檛 mean, however, that sports organizations will come away empty-handed.

鈥淟ast time with Lotteries Yukon, sports did receive a lot of new equipment that they would have needed to host and then of course were able to use that over the last three years. So we鈥檙e hoping to be able to do something like that again,鈥� said Bilsky.

She added she鈥檚 鈥渆xcited about it, but it can feel daunting at times. But I think if we have the right people in place, and good energy, solid partnerships and buy-in from all of our partners, that this will be a really great experience.鈥�

Bilsky also asked for people 鈥渢o watch out over the next couple of months for a call-out for some of our key planning volunteers.鈥�

鈥淚f they think that they don鈥檛 know a lot about sport, you definitely don鈥檛 need to know a lot about sport to be involved and to be a solid voice around a planning table. We need everything from people who know how to seat and move people with spectator services, we need people who have expertise in IT.

鈥淲e need people who are interested in marketing sponsorship culture. You do not need to know or have been involved in sport in order to be involved in this fantastic event.鈥�