Prince George gets 2015 Canada Winter Games

The City of Prince George, in the B.C. central Interior region, has won the bid to host the 2015 Canada Winter Games, beating out Kamloops and Kelowna in the 15-month selection process.

The announcement was made in downtown Vancouver on Friday morning at the site of the 2010 Olympic torch, which was fired up for the occasion — for only the second time since the Winter Games in February.

In congratulating Prince George on its selection, Premier Gordon Campbell pointed out that former Canada Games competitors won 16 of Canada's 26 medals at the Vancouver Olympics.

"Having hosted the 1973 Canada Summer Games in New Westminster and Burnaby and the 1993 Canada Summer Games in Kamloops, the 2015 Canada Games will mark the third time the Games are hosted in the province of British Columbia and the first time for British Columbia to host a winter Games," said a statement released by officials.

The Games will feature young developing athletes from across the country competing in 20 sports.

"Held once every two years, alternating between winter and summer, the Canada Games represent the highest level of national competition for up-and-coming Canadian athletes," the statement said.