Moncton And Halifax To Host 2023 World Juniors
HALIFAX–Moncton and Halifax have been selected to host the 2023 World Junior Ice Hockey Championship.
The games will be played Dec. 26, 2022 to Jan. 5, 2023 at the Avenir Centre in Moncton and at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax.
In a phone interview shortly after the news broke, Halifax mayor Mike Savage said he was “excited as hell” to hear the news.
“It means a lot for us, and for Moncton. As we come out of Covid, our hotels and our bars and restaurants have paid a big price and made a lot of sacrifices. So to bring this kind of business to the city at a normally quiet time of year… I think is going to be amazing.”
Russia was originally scheduled to host the tournament but the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) removed the country’s hosting rights after Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
Halifax and Moncton have now been given the chance to host the championship, instead. Savage said it’s a huge honor for the cities, one that arrived in part because the region has a reputation for going above and beyond when hosting world-class events, including previous iterations of the World Juniors.
“Events like this, obviously, have a big economic impact [but] I think they also have a reputational impact,” Savage said. “[They] are really important for the lifeblood of a city.”
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs also expressed his excitement at today’s news.
“We are excited to have partnered with Nova Scotia to win the bid to serve as hosts,” Higgs said. “This world event will showcase our province and our region and we will provide an unforgettable experience for both New Brunswickers and those visiting. We look forward to hosting the players and their families.”
With files from Jakob Postlewaite; More to come.